While conducting research for a recent proposal, I came to a rather hopeful conclusion. I found that the literature on teacher quality offers promise for helping disadvantaged students overcome community barriers. The studies I reviewed showed that schools have greater influence on student achievement than community characteristics.
This presents a great opportunity, but also a great responsibility for teachers.

Linda Darling-Hammond’s (2000) study of the correlation between the existence of institutions that set licensure policies and percentages of qualified teachers has implications for a licensing and monitoring infrastructure that is currently lacking in early childhood education. The findings suggest that policymakers could play an influential role in ensuring the quality of early childhood programs by increasing requirements.

Early childhood providers also need to be aware of what qualities make an effective teacher. As Carroll Helm indicates, caring and empathetic teachers are more able to build students self-esteem, which is important for future academic performance (2007). More advanced teacher screening processes would need to be used in order to take these qualities into account.

Policy makers and school administrators face two challenges in reforming current practices. First, there is a great amount of variance in the qualifications of current early childhood teachers. In standardizing the credentials, administrators need to be sure not to marginalize the experience of current teachers who lack the credentials. Second, costs will increase with demands for more qualified teachers. College students are looking to get a return on their education, therefore, in order to draw graduates into the field, sufficient compensation will have to be provided. Schools will also incur higher costs in recruiting, screening and training highly qualified teachers. Because the costs of early childhood education and childcare are so entangled, the funding streams are complicated. Individual parents, communities, school districts and charitable organizations are all likely to see increased responsibilities to cover these costs.

Sources:
Darling-Hammond, L. 2000. Teacher quality and student achievement: A review of state policy evidence. Educational Policy Analysis Archives 8:1–48.

Helm, C. (2007). Teacher Dispositions Affecting Self-Esteem and Student Performance. The Clearing House, 109-110.