Tennessee
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"The purpose of the Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance (TECTA) is to establish a statewide training and professional recognition system to support and enhance the qualifications of early childhood education personnel." An estimated 2,550 licensed child care centers and 2,400 licensed or registered family child care providers in Tennessee, with approximately 26,000 staff (4,800 directors and home providers and 21,000 teaching personnel) provide early childhood education for over 165,725 children, ages birth to five. In Tennessee, approximately 65% of preschool age children are now in some form of routine non-parental care. The TECTA statewide training system is based on the belief that all early childhood education personnel need to acquire recognized professional knowledge and skills to provide appropriate care and education for young children. The key to quality programs is the professional preparation of teaching and administrative personnel with whom young children spend a significant portion of their formative years. Early childhood educational professionals also provide information and training to parents and other family members to support them in their parenting responsibilities. The TECTA system is approved and sponsored by the Tennessee Board of Regents and the Tennessee Department of Human Services. TECTA approved courses and programs include important knowledge and skills adopted by the TECTA state steering committee which includes child care providers, higher education systems, professional associations, state agencies, business representatives, and parents. TECTA is based on state and national standards for the preparation of professional early childhood education personnel. Providing for the health and safety of young children in group care and for their physical, social, and educational development requires qualified caregivers/teachers and program administrators. The TECTA statewide training system provides early childhood personnel with access to affordable training. Research has shown that quality early childhood education programs play an important role in preparing children to enter school ready to learn and in supporting productive participation of families in the community and in the work force. The first phase of the TECTA system began in 1993. Selected Institutions (East Tennessee State University in partnership with Walters State Community College and Chattanooga State Technical Community College in partnership with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga) piloted TECTA designed programs to train early childhood education professionals and to recognize them through formal credentials and degrees. These TECTA program institutions are collaborating with local early childhood providers, professional organizations, community agencies, business, industry, and parents. During 1994 and 1995, the TECTA training system expanded and now includes a consortia of higher education institutions with local advisory committees which serve a majority of Tennessee counties. The Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance represents the first statewide early childhood training and professional recognition system in the nation to include orientation training through advanced degree programs administered by the State's higher education system. Tennessee State University provides management, training, and technical assistance for the development of the TECTA statewide system and to consortia of higher education institutions with TECTA approved programs. Management services include support to DHS and the TECTA statewide steering committee, subcommittees, a quality assurance process, evaluation, and public information services. The TECTA system is funded through Tennessee State University by the Tennessee Department of Human Services using federal funds from the Child Care and Development Block Grant. Improving access for Tennessee citizens to quality early childhood education by providing center/school based and family child care teachers and administrators with articulated, certificate and degree preparation programs in the primary goal of TECTA. The TECTA statewide training system promotes recognition and provides articulation between post-secondary certificate and degree programs when students meet the Tennessee Board of Regents and/or the University of Tennessee admission requirement standards at participating TECTA program institutions. For more information contact: The TECTA Management Office:
Barbara Nye, Ph.D.
Janice Carter, M.Ed.
Barbara West Wall, M.Ed. TECTA Consortia Program Coordinators:
Debbie Simpson
Marilyn Buchanan
Jackie Hill, M.Ed.
Christy Grant, M.S.
Janice Carter, M.Ed. STATEMENT OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Tennessee State University, in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, or sex in any of its policies or procedures. TECTA is funded through grant number 332.77-92-341 and administered by the Bureau of Evaluation and Research Services, the Center for Excellence for Research and Policy in Basic Skills, Tennessee State University. The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) has 46 institutions including 26 technology centers, 14 community colleges and technical institutes, and 6 universities. TBR institutions enroll approximately 163,000 students, making TBR the tenth largest higher education system in the nation. TBR has an institution within 30 miles of all Tennesseans.
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