Program faculty from the School of Education collaborated and presented at the recent National Association for the Education of the Young Child (NAEYC) Professional Learning Institute, held in New Orleans in June. The NAEYC’s Professional Learning Institute brought together seasoned and emerging early childhood professionals and leaders in a community of learners. Approximately 200 sessions were held over 4 days, featuring individuals and teams from across the nation who focused on deepening the early childhood knowledge base, addressing challenging and controversial issues facing the field, and developing skills to improve professional development and practice.

Executive Director of the College of Human Sciences & Education’s Early Childhood Education Institute (ECEI), Cynthia F. DiCarlo, PhD, partnered with faculty from the School of Education’s PK-12 Educational Leadership program, Henderson Lewis, Jr., PhD and Margaret-Mary Sulentic Dowell, PhD, co-presenting a session titled, “A Cautionary Tale about Expanding Childcare in New Orleans: A Playbook for Creating an Equitable Community for Early Learners through Strategic Planning and Grassroots Collaborations.” Their generative session highlighted the 2020 Act 3, Early Childhood Education Act and subsequent implementation efforts in Orleans Parish.

“This was a great opportunity to highlight what efforts are underway in the state to provide quality childcare and how School of Education faculty collaborate to share knowledge, research, and expertise with a national audience,” Sulentic Dowell said.

DiCarlo was instrumental in bringing the Louisiana Association for the Education of the Young Child (LAAEYC), the state affiliate of NAEYC to LSU, which is the first NAEYC affiliate collaborating with a university. The LAAEYC focuses on increasing the number of NAEYC-accredited childcare centers in the state, advocates for quality environments for young children, equitable compensation for early childhood teachers; and works with the ECEI to disseminate research-based recommendations for practitioners.

“Housing the state affiliate, LAAEYC at LSU promotes engagement of preservice educators within the state organization and also increases opportunity to disseminate research on recommended practices early care and elementary education," DiCarlo said.

Lewis and Sulentic Dowell also partnered with Dionne George, LCSW-BACS, from the Orleans Parish Schools on a session, “The Impact of Developing Partnerships between Educators and Advocates to Engage Families of Students with Disabilities.” In this session, the three colleagues explored the triad relationship between educators, families, and advocates in the creation and delivery of service plans for students with exceptionalities.

“It was edifying to intersect early childhood and leadership in such a forum," Lewis said.

Jennifer Baumgartner, PhD, also a faculty member in the Early Childhood Program, presented two sessions with a colleague from Portland State, “A Call to Action: Prioritizing Wellbeing in Professional Development Systems” and “Building a Sustainable Workforce: Embedding Self-Care Skills or Early Childhood Professionals."

Eugene Kennedy, Interim Director of the Lutrill & Pearl Payne School of Education, noted that “This conference is yet another instance in which faculty provided extraordinary leadership on a critical issue facing Louisiana and the nation.”

About the Early Childhood Education Institute

The Early Childhood Education Institute (ECEI) at LSU is an umbrella organization to promote research and disseminate recommended practices in early childhood care and education. ECEI is focused holistically on the early years and fills a unique niche by targeting birth through age three. The institute develops expert care practitioners who deliver high-quality early childhood programming, engage in research practices, and advocate for the profession. ECEI focuses on research, education, and outreach and is housed within LSU's College of Human Sciences & Education.
Visit the Early Childhood Education Institute website.

About Lutrill and Pearl Payne LSU School of Education (SOE)

A school of the College of Human Sciences & Education, the SOE offers undergraduate programs for students who want to pursue a career as a pre-kindergarten through 12th grade teacher or acquire dual certification in both traditional elementary and special education classrooms. Besides providing graduate certification in Instructional Coaching, educational technology, and urban & community education, the SOE offers a writing pedagogy minor, and a master’s degree in arts, arts in teaching, education (MEd), education in counseling (MEd), certificate of education specialist (EdS) and PhD. The School’s mission is to prepare educational professionals to be leaders, practitioners, and scholars knowledgeable in contemporary educational issues.
Visit the LSU Lutrill and Pearl Payne School of Education website.

About LSU College of Human Sciences & Education (CHSE)

The College of Human Sciences & Education (CHSE) is a nationally accredited division of Louisiana State University. The college is comprised of the School of Education, the School of Information Studies, the School of Kinesiology the School of Leadership & Human Resource Development, and the School of Social Work. CHSE has two model demonstration schools, the Early Childhood Education Laboratory Preschool, enrolling birth to age four and the University Laboratory School enrolling Kindergarten through grade 12. The college also has four centers and institutes: the Early Childhood Education Institute, the Healthy Aging Research Center, the Leadership Development Institute, and Social Research & Evaluation Center. The college is committed to achieving the highest standards in teaching, research, and service and is committed to improving quality of life across the lifespan.
Visit the College of Human Sciences & Education website.