Program Overview

This tiered approach builds early childhood education workforce capacity for leadership positions with different levels of complexity. As the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is being implemented, MECLP will develop early education leaders to serve as Directors/Coordinators of childcare programs and Judy Centers, in supervisory roles at non-profit organizations and local school systems, as well as lead policymaking at local and state governmental agencies.  MECLP is positioning itself as the state’s early childhood education leadership hubwith the purpose of increasing the number of highly qualified early education leaders to address the needs of the field.

Tier 1: SHER 601 – Leading for Change in Early Childhood Education – a 12 month course taught by faculty from The Institute for Early Education Leadership and Innovation (IEELI) at the University of Massachusetts, Boston focuses on seven core competencies: visioning, values, people management, organizational capacity, results and outcomes, creativity and innovation, and policy advocacy.

Tier II: Community of Practice – An opportunity for MECLP alums to connect through a series of robust opportunities – a pilot coaching program; a series of webinars featuring MECLP alums and ECE leaders from Maryland as well as national experts; Leadership in Action Conversations, ample opportunities for networking and small group sharing, and an annual Early Childhood Leadership Forum. 

Tier III: SHER 602 – Public Policy and Advocacy in Early Childhood – With SHER 601 as a prerequisite, this course builds students’ capacity to act as advocates, leaders and innovators for high quality practices and research-informed policies in early childhood at the local, state and national level by influencing public policy and through advocacy. 

Upon completion of SHER 601 and SHER 602, students receive a UMBC Endorsement in Early Childhood Leadership. (In development) MECLP expects to develop 2 additional 3-credit graduate courses culminating in a Certificate in Early Childhood Leadership from UMBC.

Course Descriptions

This 12 month, hybrid course provides participants with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required to design and lead change and innovations in early childhood settings and systems in Maryland and nationally.  Participants will examine the theory and practice of change to gain an understanding of what contributes to organizational progress and sustained improvement. Participants will analyze the forces that drive change, examine impediments to change, and survey a range of approaches for making change more effective.  In addition, the course focuses on leadership in its many forms (in teaching, administration, policy, research, ethics).  Participants will gain a deeper understanding of themselves as developing leaders and change agents, and explore ways to improve professional practice, early education quality, and promote social justice and caring in programs and systems serving young children and families.  The course is designed with a highly interactive approach that centers on the leadership development of each participant, in the context of the programs/settings in which they work or intend to work.  The theories of leadership and the case studies read will be connected to the participants’ development as leaders.  Participants will identify a focal area related to early childhood education practice, develop a theory of change, and explore how leadership in research, policy, and practice can support change.

This course builds students’ capacity to act as advocates, leaders, and innovators for high quality practices and research-informed policies in early childhood education at the local, state, and national levels. Students will become familiar with the process for developing and establishing policies that impact young children and families in Maryland and nationally. Students will develop strategies for influencing public policy and regulation through advocacy utilizing resources available to support change. Historical and current trends and issues involving legislation will be examined, with a focus on the historical role of social advocacy, the development of advocacy skills, and collaboration and consultation with other professionals in the early childhood education sector. Students will gain a deeper understanding of themselves as advocates and change agents, explore ways to advocate for quality in early care and education, and promote social justice and caring in programs and systems serving young children and families with a focus on their SHER 601 Capstone Project. This course is designed with a highly interactive approach that centers on the advocacy development of each participant in the context of the programs/settings in which they work or intend to work. Students will develop their understanding of the science of scaling leadership projects within an equity framework through the revision and critical evaluation of their SHER 601 Capstone Project, generating an advocacy plan to support its successful implementation.