Date of Conferral
11-13-2025
Date of Award
November 2025
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
School
Education
Advisor
Amy White
Abstract
In Colorado, early childhood education (ECE) directors are often not fully prepared to lead and develop high-quality teaching teams, which is integral to offering high-quality programming to children and families in the early years of development. Framed by transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore Colorado ECE directors' experiences with training and support, and the resources needed to develop ECE directors to lead high-quality programming . Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 13 Colorado ECE directors from center-based programs that serve children from birth to 8 years. Thematic analysis using open coding yielded four themes indicating ECE directors (a) felt unprepared for an ECE directorship, (b) saw there were multiple paths to becoming an ECE director, (c) reported challenges with the time and economics of training and work life balance, and (d) need additional support specific to their position to ensure high-quality programming. The findings from this study may promote positive social change if used to help ECE directors, policy makers, and the ECE workforce to make decisions on best practices, policies, and credentialing to support children and families in accessing high-quality early childhood programming.
Recommended Citation
Nadeau, Rochelle Elaine, "Experiences and Training of Early Childhood Education Directors" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 18754.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/18754
