Qualifications IDENTIFIERS *Caregiver Qualifications

Driven in part by research findings in early childhood development, the academic, business, and policy communities now recognize that high-quality preschool programs are an important way to help children reach their full potential. Although some current research suggests that teacher preparation at the four-year college degree level is the best way to achieve such quality, recommending such a standard for teachers in early childhood settings has raised considerable debate. This paper reviews research literature on the relationship between teacher preparation and child outcomes in ECE programs, focusing on the central question of whether teachers with at least a BA degree in ECE provide better quality preschool experiences for 3- to 5-year-olds than those with less education. The review was limited to peer-reviewed journal articles and reports, to studies examining education and care programs with classrooms serving 3- to 5-year-olds, and to studies that allowed for exploration of particular features o