Report

Early Educator Voices: Oregon

Work Environment Conditions that Impact Early Educator Practice and Program Quality

This SEQUAL report examines work environment conditions that impact educator practice and well-being across center- and home-based programs throughout the state of Oregon. This is the first SEQUAL study to utilize the Family Child Care (FCC) tool to capture the experiences of home-based providers and their staff and the first study conducted since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The SEQUAL survey measures five domains of the work environment for center-based teaching staff (Teaching Supports, Learning Community, Job Crafting, Adult Well-Being, and Program Leadership) and for FCC providers and their staff (Teaching Supports, Learning Community, Business Practice Supports, Adult Well-Being, and Program Management and Leadership). The SEQUAL measure, administered by the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at the University of California at Berkeley, captures early educators’ perspectives on workplace conditions that support their practice and well-being. Survey findings provide policymakers and stakeholders with information directly from early educators about their work environment. Analyses reveal workplace supports and challenges that influence early educator practice and well-being and how those supports and challenges vary by program setting (i.e., centers and homes) and educator characteristics (e.g., position title, tenure). The findings also demonstrate the value of program policies and practices that ensure dependable workplace supports, like paid time for professional responsibilities and paid breaks during the workday, which impact educator practice, learning, professional development, and economic well-being.

Suggested Citation

Schlieber, M., Knight, J., Adejumo, T., Copeman Petig, A., Valencia López, E., & Pufall Jones, E. (2022). Early Educator Voices: Oregon. Work Environment Conditions That Impact Early Educator Practice and Program Quality. Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, University of California, Berkeley. https://cscce.berkeley.edu/publications/report/educator-voicesoregon/