Early Care Educators of San Franciso (ECESF)

SFECERP's (DBA ECESF) field building and peer support program accomplishments: To promote Leadership Development among early care educators, ECESF held meetings and focused on practice, policy, and peer support. This work included: teacher, administrator, and pedagogue leader discussion groups, with peer-facilitators; regularly occurring teacher meetings bringing group leaders together with new teacher participant, with Spanish and Cantonese simultaneous interpretation; and administrator/pedagogue leader information sessions. This work culminated in inviting all groups together to a Community of Practice: Building Collaboration & Mutual Trust Among ECE Teachers & Administrators. ECESF provided eNewsletters and updates informing early care and education community of relevant meetings, events, policy developments, and resources including local and state policy changes and input opportunities, BA preparation pathways and college program opportunities, COVID, financial, health, and safety practices, conference, workshop, and employment opportunities. ECESF leaders supported SF ECE community development by representing educator needs at local planning committees & ECE Department community advisory bodies: chaired workforce committee, developed plans for use of new funding, evaluated policy impact on current practices, COVID needs and recommended changes. ECESF convenings and collaborative events including educators, program operators, and community members, identified key areas of need, and shared information with ECESF community and partners. ECE leaders met with SF department heads, supervisors, and state legislators to apprise them of priority concerns of the ECE workforce and program operators. ECESF worked with local elected leaders to advocate for budget allocations of department funds addressing identified community needs impacting early care and education services.