Maintaining a skilled child care work force: The role of accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children

This study explores the factors which contribute to maintaining a skilled work force in a sample of 92 child care centers, sixty percent of which were seeking accreditation through NAEYC. Classroom observations conducted twice over two years assessed overall quality, adult to child ratios, and interactions between teachers and children. Interviews with directors and teachers provided information about wages, working conditions, personal and professional characteristics, and stability.;The study examines whether participation in the NAEYC accreditation self study process results in greater retention among skilled teachers, and identifies the work place and individual characteristics which discriminate among teachers of different skill who stay or leave their jobs. This study uses a new construct, positive staffing, which encompasses turnover and stability among teaching staff with different levels of skill or educational background. It tests the characteristics of centers which predict positive staffing over time.;Centers achieving accreditation made greater improvements in quality than those that sought but did not achieve accreditation and those not seeking accreditation, but they were no more likely to retain skilled teaching staff than other centers. Initial wage level, and background and turnover climates discriminated among high and low skilled teachers who stayed or left. High skilled teaching staff remained on the job if they earned higher wages and worked in a climate where other high skilled teachers and the director also remained. Working conditions, benefits, demographic and professional characteristics, center structure and relationship to accreditation did not discriminate among teachers who remained or left. As in previous research, wages was the most important predictor of positive staffing; turnover climate and background climate also predicted positive staffing. Paying higher wages enables a center to attract individuals who are better trained, and create and sustain a staffing pool of higher caliber which itself promotes stability among skilled staff. Centers achieving a quality rating of good retained a higher proportion of skilled teachers. Recommendations include strengthening the NAEYC accreditation, compensation and turnover criteria, and targeting more public and private quality enhancement funds toward improving salaries for high skilled teaching staff.