About Bold Beginnings for Higher Education

Ohio’s youngest children are in critical need of educators who can meet their diverse learning and development needs.  Current data suggests that of Ohio’s 670,000 children from birth to 5 years, 59% or 395,000 of them spend at least part of the day in an early care and education program.  About 20% of Ohio’s children come from marginalized communities or underrepresented backgrounds and they need teachers who are skilled in supporting their development. In addition, we estimate that approximately 60,000 young children in Ohio have or are at risk for disabilities and they also need teachers who are prepared to support their development.  Early childhood teachers need post-secondary programs that are ready and able to offer a program of study that prepares them to take on these challenges and this will only happen if community college faculty need time and support to make the changes and enhancements to their programs to prepare teachers to work with Ohio’s children. 

Bold Beginnings for Higher Education will address the need to support strategic enhancements to early childhood community college programs, courses, and field experiences.  BBHE will implement “the Blueprint Model” developed by Camille Catlett and colleagues along with an equally important focus on preparing early childhood teachers and classrooms to serve as high-quality practicum or field sites that provide college students opportunities to learn how to ensure that all young children, including those with disabilities have opportunities to learn alongside their typically developing peers.  Finally, BBHE will work with community college faculty members to strengthen program practices, including recruitment and retention of diverse students and meaningful program-to-program articulation agreements.  BBHE is fortunate to have support from a cadre of individuals who will form a working Advisory Board that will provide oversight and guidance throughout the project.  These individuals represent Ohio’s cross-sector program leaders, parents of young children with disabilities, advocates who focus on support for children from diverse backgrounds and with diverse abilities, as well as community college faculty and early childhood teachers who work in community-based programs. As a result of these efforts, early childhood teachers who graduate from associate degree programs will be well-prepared to offer high-quality, caring environments and learning experiences to each and every young child in Ohio. 

Bold Beginnings for Higher Education is funded through the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Program (OSEP) under the 325N competition: https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-special-populations/grants-individuals-disabilities/personnel