This report describes the early childhood degree programs offered in Arkansas, focusing on variations in program content, age-group focus, student field-based learning, and faculty characteristics, as well as the extent to which Arkansas ECE higher education programs are incorporating early math, family engagement, and working with dual language learners.
The Early Childhood Higher Education Inventory, administered by the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at the University of California at Berkeley, assists policymakers and other stakeholders to develop a more coordinated and comprehensive professional preparation and development system for the early care and education workforce. The Inventory is a mechanism to describe the landscape of a state’s early childhood degree program offerings, at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. The Inventory captures variations in program goals, content, child age-group focus, student field-based learning, and faculty characteristics and professional development needs. This information allows policy makers, institutions of higher education and other stakeholders to identify the gaps and opportunities in the available offerings, make informed policy decisions, and assess the capacity of the higher education system over time.
For cross-state findings, read Taking Stock Across the States policy brief.
