View in EDS

Help Wanted: Assistant Teacher Policies in State-Funded Preschool

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Help Wanted: Assistant Teacher Policies in State-Funded Preschool
Language: English
Authors: G. G. Weisenfeld, Jessica Siegel, National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)
Source: National Institute for Early Education Research. 2026.
Availability: National Institute for Early Education Research. Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, 73 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. Tel: 848-932-4350; Fax: 732-932-4360; e-mail: info@nieer.org; Web site: http://nieer.org
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 29
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Preschool Education
Descriptors: Preschool Teachers, Teacher Aides, Public Schools, Preschools, School Policy, Qualifications, Employment Qualifications, Personnel Policy, State Aid, Compensation (Remuneration), Work Environment, Teaching Conditions, State Policy, Government School Relationship
Abstract: Most state-funded preschool programs require two adults in each classroom, typically a lead teacher and an assistant teacher. Assistant teachers are an integral part of the early childhood classroom and take on many responsibilities, including planning and implementing educational activities and supporting individual children and small groups. In addition, they often bring linguistic, cultural, and racial/ethnic diversity to the classroom teaching team. As such a critical part of the preschool teaching team, assistants should be valued for their role in the classroom, appropriately qualified to support children's learning and development, and adequately compensated. In this report, using data from NIEER's "2024 State of Preschool Yearbook," we summarize the state preschool policies related to assistant teacher qualification requirements, strategies to meet those requirements, compensation policies, and professional development (PD) supports available to (and required for) assistant teachers. We also identify and explore the ways some states have addressed pay and health benefit equity that are inclusive of assistant teachers in state-funded preschool programs. Finally, we offer recommendations for state policymakers, such as state legislators or early childhood preschool administrators, to consider when developing and amending preschool assistant teacher policies.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Access URL: https://nieer.org/research-library/help-wanted-assistant-teacher-policies-state-funded-preschool
Accession Number: ED681189
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: ED681189
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Help Wanted: Assistant Teacher Policies in State-Funded Preschool
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22G%2E+G%2E+Weisenfeld%22">G. G. Weisenfeld</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jessica+Siegel%22">Jessica Siegel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22National+Institute+for+Early+Education+Research+%28NIEER%29%22">National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22National+Institute+for+Early+Education+Research%22"><i>National Institute for Early Education Research</i></searchLink>. 2026.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: National Institute for Early Education Research. Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, 73 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. Tel: 848-932-4350; Fax: 732-932-4360; e-mail: info@nieer.org; Web site: http://nieer.org
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 29
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Descriptive
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Teachers%22">Preschool Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Aides%22">Teacher Aides</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+Schools%22">Public Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschools%22">Preschools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Policy%22">School Policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualifications%22">Qualifications</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employment+Qualifications%22">Employment Qualifications</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Personnel+Policy%22">Personnel Policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22State+Aid%22">State Aid</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Compensation+%28Remuneration%29%22">Compensation (Remuneration)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Work+Environment%22">Work Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Conditions%22">Teaching Conditions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22State+Policy%22">State Policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Government+School+Relationship%22">Government School Relationship</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Most state-funded preschool programs require two adults in each classroom, typically a lead teacher and an assistant teacher. Assistant teachers are an integral part of the early childhood classroom and take on many responsibilities, including planning and implementing educational activities and supporting individual children and small groups. In addition, they often bring linguistic, cultural, and racial/ethnic diversity to the classroom teaching team. As such a critical part of the preschool teaching team, assistants should be valued for their role in the classroom, appropriately qualified to support children's learning and development, and adequately compensated. In this report, using data from NIEER's "2024 State of Preschool Yearbook," we summarize the state preschool policies related to assistant teacher qualification requirements, strategies to meet those requirements, compensation policies, and professional development (PD) supports available to (and required for) assistant teachers. We also identify and explore the ways some states have addressed pay and health benefit equity that are inclusive of assistant teachers in state-funded preschool programs. Finally, we offer recommendations for state policymakers, such as state legislators or early childhood preschool administrators, to consider when developing and amending preschool assistant teacher policies.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: URL
  Label: Access URL
  Group: URL
  Data: <link linkTarget="URL" linkTerm="https://nieer.org/research-library/help-wanted-assistant-teacher-policies-state-funded-preschool" linkWindow="_blank">https://nieer.org/research-library/help-wanted-assistant-teacher-policies-state-funded-preschool</link>
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED681189
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED681189
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 29
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Preschool Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Aides
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preschools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualifications
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Employment Qualifications
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Personnel Policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: State Aid
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Compensation (Remuneration)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Work Environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teaching Conditions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: State Policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Government School Relationship
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Help Wanted: Assistant Teacher Policies in State-Funded Preschool
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: G. G. Weisenfeld
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Jessica Siegel
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 24
              M: 02
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: National Institute for Early Education Research
              Type: main
ResultId 1