Teacher training is a key element in a quality early learning system, but the new 2009 State of Preschool shows progress on professional development is lagging.

Only roughly half of state-supported pre-kindergarten efforts require teachers to hold bachelors degrees, though the majority of programs, 44 out of 51, require some specialized training, Preschool Matters Today reports.

The National Institute for Early Education Research blog also suggested teacher training could decline in the future.

 “As states continue to deal with large budget deficits, there’s always the danger that current requirements could be watered down and/or eliminated from state policies. Proposals to upgrade teacher qualifications could also be put on the back burner.” – “What the Yearbook Says About Teacher Qualifications.” 

One of the interesting findings is how many public programs, 33, require pre-kindergarten teachers to be paid on the public school salary scale. (Check out state comparisons here.)

And check out the whole story here.

New Large-Scale Child Care Study: Across the Pacific Ocean, Australia has launched its biggest ever early learning study to find out what helps learning in the first years of life.

“We know from studies in North America and the UK in particular that quality early childhood education and care programs increase children’s attainment levels throughout their education and into adulthood. And similarly, lack of a quality program can predict poor progress,” Professor Collette Tayler, who is leading the study of 2,500 three-year-old students and works at Melbourne Graduate School of Education, said in a statement. “But we don’t yet know what program elements make a significant impact on a child’s learning and development. This study will discover what these are, enabling policy makers and educators to make evidence-based decisions into the future.”