Early Care And Education Teachers Research Articles

Examining the Implementation of the VLS Momentum Project: A Hybrid Approach to Supporting Foundational Practices in Early Care and Education

AbstractApproximately 40% of the U.S. early care and education (ECE) workforce lacks foundational training in research-based, developmentally appropriate practices for working with young children, which can impact the quality of ECE they can provide. To support young children’s positive developmental trajectories, it is critical that all teachers have access to comprehensive, high-quality ECE professional development that helps translate knowledge into practice. This pilot study examined a community-based pilot of the U.S. Federal Agency Virtual Lab School (VLS) platform for ECE teachers in childcare centers providing publicly funded childcare. The 15-month hybrid professional development intervention (internet-based content paired with individualized coaching) was positively received by teachers. Results show that comprehensive, foundational professional development using a hybrid approach is feasible in community based ECE settings. Teachers cited supportive relationships with their coaches and accommodations made by their centers as key facilitators of progress; time pressures and complications associated with the COVID-19 pandemic were barriers that impeded completion. Giving teachers time and support to complete foundational ECE training may help a greater number of ECE teachers achieve competency, and thus, better support all young children receiving care.

Early childhood teachers’ dispositions, knowledge, and skills related to diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice

All children deserve quality early care and education (ECE) experiences that value them and lay a foundation for positive life trajectories. Unfortunately, many minoritized children in ECE experience inequities including a greater likelihood of exclusion and far fewer opportunities to see their identities affirmed or centered. These early experiences impact children's development, and the dispositions, knowledge, and skills (DKSs) of ECE teachers are key drivers of these experiences. Accordingly, our study sought to understand ECE teachers’ current DKSs related to diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice (DIEJ) through a critical culturally relevant pedagogy framework. To do so, we analyzed data from four focus groups with 15 center-based infant, toddler, and preschool teachers using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022). Key DKSs, including teachers’ attitudes about children and teaching, their perspectives about DIEJ, and their understanding of positionality and context as well as their perception of DIEJ as an age-appropriate topic, occurred across groups. Minoritized teachers and teachers working with diverse groups of children tended to demonstrate a deeper and more critical engagement with DIEJ than White teachers working primarily with White children. Furthermore, we also found evidence that this engagement may be influenced by teachers’ DKSs. Policy and practice implications are discussed with respect to ensuring that all children have the experiences they deserve to thrive.

Preschool teachers' psychological wellbeing, emotion regulation, and emotional responsiveness: a US-Korea comparison.

Psychological wellbeing is an essential indicator of early care and education (ECE) teachers' positive practices across countries. Moreover, previous studies suggest that teachers' wellbeing and practice may be indirectly associated via emotion regulation. However, teachers in various contexts demonstrate different patterns of psychological wellbeing, emotion regulation, and emotional responsiveness, and the ways these factors associate with each other also vary. The current study investigates whether the indirect associations between ECE teachers' psychological wellbeing (i.e., emotional exhaustion, job-related competence, and personal stress) and their responsiveness toward children's emotions via emotion regulation (i.e., reappraisal and suppression) appear differently in two national contexts, the United States (US) and South Korea (SK). Multi-group path analysis was conducted to compare the mediation models between US teachers (n = 1,129) and SK teachers (n = 322). We found significant indirect associations among wellbeing, emotion regulation, and responsiveness in both countries. However, significant associations were more prominent among SK teachers, and the patterns of indirect associations had substantial cross-country differences. Furthermore, the roles of reappraisal and suppression emotion regulation found to be different among ECE teachers in SK and US. The cross-country variations in the associations among wellbeing, emotion regulation, and responsiveness suggest that differential policy efforts and intervention strategies are needed for ECE teachers in the US and SK.

Examining the Associations between Teacher Job Satisfaction, Workplace Climate, and Well-Being Resources within Head Start Programs

ABSTRACT Research Findings: Teachers in early care and education (ECE) face tremendous challenges, which can lead to poor well-being, low job satisfaction, and high turnover rates. Thus, it is essential to understand the factors related to job satisfaction as well as the well-being resources that teachers need. The study used multilevel modeling to examine the associations between organizational factors and teachers’ job satisfaction among 166 Head Start teachers. Results indicate that organizational climate and diversity climate within the centers were positively associated with teachers’ job satisfaction. However, the availability of well-being resources was not significantly related to teachers’ satisfaction with their job. Teachers identified higher wages, less paperwork, and support for managing children’s behaviors as the most needed resources for their well-being. Practice or Policy: The study addresses the importance of a positive work climate for policymakers and program leaders to consider as a way of improving ECE teachers’ job satisfaction. It also emphasizes the most needed well-being resources identified by teachers, especially those working with children in poverty.

Predictors of Overweight and Obesity in Early Care and Education Teachers during COVID-19.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine individual, sociocultural, policy, and economic predictors of overweight/obesity in early care and education (ECE) teachers to identify modifiable opportunities to enhance the health of this critical workforce. ECE teachers (n = 1434) in the U.S. completed an online survey in late spring to mid-summer 2020. Teachers self-reported height and weight; body mass index (BMI) and weight status were calculated. Teachers reported micro-environment variables including age, race, gender, obesogenic lifestyle behaviors, well-being, food security, personal health, stress, job stress, type of ECE, COVID-19 teaching modality, and age of children in the classroom. Logistic regression predicting overweight/obesity and linear regression predicting BMI were conducted. Teachers with more years of teaching experience (OR: 1.022: 95% CI 1.005, 1.039) and higher consumption of fast food (2.038: 1.310, 3.169) had higher odds of overweight/obesity. Teachers with higher levels of education (0.58: 0.407, 0.828) and higher physical health (0.836: 0.775, 0.902) had lower odds of overweight/obesity. Other variables were not associated with overweight/obesity. Variables significant in logistic regression were also associated with higher BMI. Additionally, Native American race (β = 2.467 SE = 1.206) and sedentary hours/day (β = 0.152 SE = 0.075) were associated with higher BMI. Implications for enhancing workplace health for these ECE teachers are emerging.

Changes in Early Care and Education Settings Amid COVID-19: Voices of Parents

ABSTRACT Research Findings: The purpose of this qualitative study is to understand parents’ perceptions of changes in early care and education (ECE) in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea. Thirty-three parents of young children who attend three different types of ECE programs (i.e. kindergartens, childcare centers, and non-accredited programs) participated in a 30-minute semi-structured interview. Through an applied thematic analysis, three major themes were generated: Structural Changes in ECE Settings, Support from ECE Programs and Teachers, and Changes in Parents’ Perceptions of ECE. Parents reported that they wanted their voices to be heard going through the changes in ECE settings. Some parents expressed concerns about the changes and were not satisfied with support provided by ECE programs. However, when ECE programs maintained regular communications, parents felt grateful, and parent-program relationships remained uninterrupted. Practice or Policy: The findings highlight the importance of recognizing parents as a meaningful part of the ECE community, understanding and addressing parents’ perceptions, and engaging parents in the frequent and open communication. Understanding parents’ perspectives can potentially improve the quality of ECE programs and promote high-quality parent-program relationships. Continuous efforts are needed to further explore parents’ perceptions in ECE research and practice.

Early Childhood Teachers' Work Environment, Perceived Personal Stress, and Professional Commitment in South Korea.

Teachers' professional commitment is essential for providing high-quality early care and education (ECE) to young children. Previous studies suggest that teachers' perceptions of low levels of personal stress and a satisfactory work environment are both likely to be associated with their greater commitment to work. The current study examined the incremental validity of work environment as a predictor of professional commitment beyond personal stress perceived by ECE teachers in South Korea. Specifically, we hypothesized that teachers' satisfactory work environment would predict a significant amount of variance in professional commitment beyond personal stress. Survey data were collected from 322 ECE teachers in center-based programs in Korea. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the factor structure of the professional commitment latent variable. Hierarchical regression models were tested in structural equation modeling with the professional commitment latent variable. CFA for professional commitment demonstrated that a one-factor model was the best solution. The final model explained 40% of the variance in professional commitment (RMSEA = .067; CFI = .906). Findings indicated the incremental validity of work environment in predicting professional commitment beyond personal stress. The current findings emphasize the importance of teachers' experiences around having a satisfactory work environment and personal stress, either job-related or not, to retain teachers in ECE settings long-term. Program and policy level support to promote teachers' well-being in their personal lives as well as professional lives may be critical to improve teachers' professional commitment.

“Just sit and eat.” Adult and Child Mealtime Responsibilities in Early Care and Education Centers During COVID-19 in Florida

ABSTRACT Most young children in the United States attend early care and education (ECE) programs, in which they eat 3–4 times daily. ‘Division of responsibility’ between adult and child means the adults are responsible for what, when and where, and the child is responsible for whether, what and how much to eat. A balanced division of responsibility can support children’s development of healthy eating competency. This paper aims to describe division of responsibility during mealtimes during COVID-19 in Florida using a cross-sectional, mixed methods design. Questions were developed based on Trust Model and Social Cognitive Theory. A survey was completed by 759 ECE directors and 431 teachers, and 29 teachers completed in-depth interviews. COVID-19 increased teacher mealtime responsibilities. Most (95%+) ECE teachers provided meals at the same time and place daily (when and where). Children determined what and how much they ate, but did not serve or handle food. Implications include modifying mealtime routines to minimize the risk of COVID-19 and support healthy eating with a balanced division of responsibility.

“You Can Hold Two Things to Be True at the Same Time”: Duality in ECE Teachers’ Emotional Experiences during COVID-19

ABSTRACT This study represents a qualitative exploration of the emotional experiences of early care and education (ECE) teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research questions consisted of the following: 1) What were the emotional experiences of ECE teachers during COVID-19? 2) How do ECE teachers understand, contextualize, and/or negotiate these emotional experiences? Data were drawn from in-depth individual interviews and one focus group discussion with five white female ECE teachers from the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. Researchers engaged in thematic analysis of the data to develop the themes of duality in teachers’ emotional experiences during the pandemic, including connection/disconnection during school closures, yearning/dread in anticipation of school reopening, joy/fear in the return to in-person learning, and acceptance/resistance to their classroom practices in the “new normal” of teaching during COVID-19. These findings were interpreted through a dialectical theory of emotion to explore the inherent duality and complexity of ECE teachers’ lived emotional experiences during COVID-19. This work adds to the emerging research on the effect of COVID-19 on the field of early care and education. Further, it builds theoretical understandings surrounding the complex nature of early childhood teachers’ emotional experiences by offering an in-depth qualitative portrait of emotional duality.

Physical Well-being in Early Childhood Teachers: Correlates of Work-related Musculoskeletal Issues and Fitness among these “Educational Athletes”

ABSTRACT Early care and education (ECE) teachers are constantly moving throughout their day with varying physical demands akin to those of athletes. Teachers are continuously bending, stooping, and squatting to lift and carry children as well as sitting on the floor or in child-sized furniture—all activities that require substantial fitness. This said, many ECE teachers have health issues including obesity, diminished aerobic capacity, and perceived stress, which can adversely influence their physical well-being and place them at risk for work-related musculoskeletal issues. This study of ECE teachers, which is part of a larger study of overall teacher wellness, involved direct, on-site measures of ECE teachers’ cardiorespiratory capacity and in-classroom ergonomic assessment of activities. These measures were then triangulated with self-reported health information to better understand the current status of various aspects of teachers’ physical well-being and correlational analysis was then used to identify potential risk and/or protective factors. Research Findings: ECE teachers are constantly moving throughout their day with varying physical demands and stressors that, combined with unfavorable working conditions, contribute to developing musculoskeletal pain and poor cardiorespiratory fitness. Practice or Policy: Many of the physical wellness issues identified in this study can be mitigated through modest changes that could be incorporated into teachers’ daily work behaviors and activities, such as education and programs to enhance the physical wellness of these “educational athletes” and better-prepare them for the “sport of teaching.”

Mealtime best practices and infection control in early care and education centres during COVID-19.

Most young children in the United States attend early care and education (ECE) programmes, where they consume the majority of daily calories. Best practices to support children's healthy eating include teachers sitting together with children, eating the same food, and appropriately supporting children in serving and feeding themselves. To understand how the COVID-19 pandemic changed mealtime practices in ECE, this study (1) describes what adaptations ECE directors and teachers made to mealtimes to include best practices, and (2) identifies common adaptations made to comply with COVID-19 infection control guidelines. This cross-sectional, mixed-methods study utilized survey and interview questions based on the trust model and social cognitive theory. More than 7000 surveys were distributed to ECE directors and teachers in Florida. Surveys were completed by 759 directors and 431 teachers. Also, 29 follow-up interviews with teachers were completed. Participants were asked to describe their mealtimes before and during COVID-19. Descriptive statistics and frequencies were used to analyse survey data, and thematic analysis was applied to interview data. Less than 5% of survey respondents reported children serving themselves, a pre-COVID best practice. Interviews identified three common adaptations: (1) modification-best practices were incorporated into new routines, such as eating together but sitting farther away, (2) elimination-routines changed so that best practices were no longer possible, such as teachers wearing masks and standing during meals, and (3) minimal change-minimal changes due to COVID-19 occurred and consequently mealtime practices did not change. Current recommendations do not allow children to self-serve, which previously was a key best practice. ECE centres that have successfully integrated COVID-19 modifications and maintained mealtime best practices-perhaps in a new form-can serve as examples for others. These findings are generalizable to ECE centres in Florida and could be compared with other states.

Hungry is not safe: A mixed methods study to explore food insecurity in early care and education

The early care and education (ECE) environment has the potential to affect both children and their families. Food insecurity in ECE and its management may be an important influence. Objectives of this mixed methods study were to (1) elicit prominent themes relating to teacher experiences with food insecurity (in the classroom) through qualitative interviews; (2) translate interview themes into survey items and analyze survey data to explore generalizability of the qualitative findings; and (3) provide preliminary data on properties of a new tool to study the influence of food insecurity in the ECE setting. An exploratory sequential mixed methods design (QUAL → quant) was used. Twenty-eight interviews about teacher experiences with food insecurity were followed by 781 surveys to assess generalizability of interview findings. Qualitative themes highlighted that ECE teachers are concerned about children's food insecurity in their classroom; ECE teachers have developed their own set of strategies to manage their concern; and teachers often struggle with what to do. Quantitative results demonstrated many teachers had the same concerns and used the strategies described in the interviews. Further, in exploratory analyses, ECE teachers with Food Insecurity scored significantly higher on all scales (e.g., Food Insecurity Concerns, Struggle with Addressing Food Security) in both adjusted and unadjusted analyses. ECE teachers with Food Acquisition Stress had higher scores on Strategies to Address Food Insecurity with Families in adjusted analyses.

Toddler teacher job strain, resources, and classroom quality

ABSTRACT Early care and education (ECE) settings are influential in shaping children’s early experiences. Informed by the Job Demands-Resources model, this study had two aims. First, we examined how ECE teachers’ physical (i.e. muscular skeletal strain and infectious disease experience) and psychological (i.e. depression and job dissatisfaction) job strain was associated with the quality of their interactions with children. Second, we tested whether job resources, including supervisor and co-worker support, buffered these associations. We examined survey responses from 44 toddler teachers working in centre-based classrooms with children aged 15–36 months and assessed the quality of the classroom using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System – Toddler (CLASS-T; La Paro et al. 2012. Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Manual, Toddler. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes). Results indicated that teachers experienced a range of physical and psychological job strain. Co-worker and supervisor support were not significant moderators of the ECE teachers’ job strain- classroom quality association. However, contrary to the mechanisms theorised within the Job Demands-Resources model, a main effect of co-worker and supervisor support on classroom quality, such that higher levels of perceived social support was related to higher classroom quality. Due to the significance of classroom quality for young children, understanding ways to create a work environment of rich social support stands to benefit teachers and the toddlers in their care.

Impacts of Roots of Resilience professional development for early childhood teachers on Young children’s protective factors

Early care and education (ECE) is an important developmental context for nurturing resilience with young children experiencing adversity. In particular, strengthening the capabilities of adult caregivers, such as ECE teachers, to mitigate the effects of toxic stressors is of central importance to children’s learning, health, and development. Yet, few ECE teachers have access to professional supports focused on meeting the needs of children impacted by trauma. The current study examines a new program that aims to help fill this gap for both home-based and center-based ECE programs: Roots of Resilience: Teachers’ Awakening Children’s Healing. Roots of Resilience is a professional development program consisting of an online course and online video-based coaching. In a small randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 17 classrooms/groups, 23 teachers, and 61 children we examine program impacts on three protective factors: emotionally supportive teacher-child interactions, children’s engagement and children’s school readiness skills. Findings revealed significant impacts of teachers’ participation in Roots of Resilience on (observed) emotionally supportive teacher-child interactions at post, controlling for baseline scores and teacher education. Children whose teachers were randomly assigned to participate in Roots of Resilience showed reductions in (observed) negative engagement and increases in direct assessments of math skills, compared to children whose teachers were assigned to the waitlist control group. No impacts on children’s (observed) positive engagement, nor direct assessments of self-regulation or early literacy were detected. Further research with a larger and more diverse sample is needed to more definitively examine program impacts, identify mechanisms of influence, and address questions about which teachers and/or children may benefit most.

Neglected Elements of a High-Quality Early Childhood Workforce: Whole Teacher Well-Being and Working Conditions

The majority of teachers in the early care and education (ECE) workforce face disparities in physical and psychological well-being as well as working conditions. This study examined the working conditions and physical, psychological, and professional well-being of early childhood teachers and compared the results by the child age group they care for and by teachers’ level of educational attainment. Two hundred sixty-two early childhood teachers completed a brief health assessment and a questionnaire on demographic information, well-being, and working conditions. A subsample of 40 teachers were observed for the quality of care they provided to the children. A substantial number of the teachers in the study reported physical and psychological challenges and suboptimal working conditions for well-being, a largely neglected workforce issue, for this working population. Several significant differences in teachers’ well-being and working conditions were found by the child age group for which they care and by teachers’ level of educational attainment. In particular, teachers with higher educational levels had greater resources for work and provided higher quality of care, however, they also reported poorer physical and professional well-being than teachers with less education. Overall findings indicate a need for policies and programs that will improve working conditions and health outcomes for early childhood teachers and the children in their care. These findings suggest that ECE teachers may have unique needs across the age groups with whom they work and teacher educational levels, regarding work-related resources and conditions.

To Whom Little Is Given, Much Is Expected: ECE Teacher Stressors and Supports as Determinants of Classroom Quality

Early care and education (ECE) teachers are paid strikingly low wages, yet are increasingly expected to advance children’s learning by offering high-quality classroom environments. Teachers’ capacities to provide high-quality instruction should be affected by the stressors they encounter and the supports they receive. However, ECE stressors and supports related to classroom quality, particularly those dimensions of quality reflecting the promotion of students’ self-regulation, are understudied. The capacities teachers draw on to promote student self-regulation, such as patience, planning ability, positive affect, and scaffolding of peer interactions, may be precisely those abilities most likely to be impacted by their own stressors and supports. The current study measures the prevalence of a range of stressors (depressive symptoms, household chaos, less than very good health, teacher salary, food insecurity) and supports (in the workplace and at home) in a sample of ECE teachers serving low-income preschoolers in Tulsa, OK. Multilevel regression models then test for associations between those stressors and supports and observed measures of classroom quality – both the widely-used CLASS and newer measures that assess classroom management, social-emotional instruction, scaffolding of peer interactions, and use of power assertive and dismissive behavioral control – or “red flag” – strategies. The majority of associations from stressors and supports to classroom quality measures were non-significant and effect sizes were small (ranging from 0.17-0.30). Of the stressors, only low teacher salary was significantly associated with quality outcomes, and only for just 2 of 8 outcomes tested (worse classroom management and poorer quality of instruction). Out of the 48 associations tested between the 6 workplace supports and 8 quality outcomes, fewer than one-third were statistically significant and not always in expected directions. Results underscore a need for replication with other samples, using direct measures of teacher stress, so that the field can better understand how these aspects of teachers’ experiences translate into classroom quality, and ultimately, to child outcomes.

With Awareness Comes Competency: The Five Awarenesses of Teaching as a Framework for Understanding Teacher Social-Emotional Competency and Well-being

ABSTRACT Research Findings Developing students’ social and emotional skills positively affects their academic success. The Prosocial Classroom model (PCM) highlights the importance of teacher’s social-emotional competency (SEC) and well-being. The current research extends the PCM by using the Five Awarenesses of Teaching Framework (The Framework) to understand teacher SEC through a developmental lens. We discuss how the Framework can inform and be informed by our understanding of Early Care and Education (ECE) teachers’ SEC. Eighteen ECE teachers participated in cognitive interviews and a deductive thematic analysis was used to categorize teachers’ interview data according to The Framework. Three key themes were identified: 1) The Framework described cognitive capacities relevant to ECE teacher SEC consistent with other teacher populations; 2) there was an underlying conflict between teachers’ keen awareness of student social-emotional learning (SEL) and an active suppression of their own social and emotional well-being; and 3) the impact and importance of race, ethnicity, and family engagement. Practice or Policy: Findings reveal that ECE teachers’ SEC and well-being can be described using The Framework. Additionally, the suppression of ECE teacher emotional needs and the importance of family engagement suggest important avenues for improving our understanding of ECE SEC and well-being.

Everyday Heroes: The Personal and Economic Stressors of Early Care and Education Teachers Serving Low-Income Children

ABSTRACT Research findings This study uses newly available data on low-income children and their teachers in a mixed-delivery, publicly funded early care and education (ECE) system to document the prevalence of personal and economic stressors that ECE teachers experience. We go on to explore whether these stressors are associated with child academic, self-regulatory, and social outcomes. Results indicate that ECE teachers in our sample report a high degree of personal and economic stressors – for instance, rates of depression and food insecurity are relatively high. Yet, these stressors’ associations with child outcomes are often weak and inconsistent. Practice and policy: ECE teachers in publicly funded settings face high expectations but are paid astonishingly low wages, which may contribute to high stress. More research is needed to understand why the many stressors teachers report did not consistently predict child outcomes in this study. What enables teachers to compartmentalize or absorb their personal and economic stressors such that their students are protected from its impacts? How can this information be applied to professional development focused on improving teacher wellbeing? Regardless of associations with child outcomes, reducing stressors reported by ECE teachers is a worthy practice priority because children deserve healthy and economically secure teachers and a worthy policy priority from a human rights perspective.

P116 Serving Their Needs: Nutrition Policy Implementation in the Early Care and Education Setting

Background Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the United States and results in increased risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. Thirteen percent of youth in Georgia are obese. Identifying strategies to assist children in establishing healthy habits is essential to reduce the risk of childhood obesity. The Early Care and Education (ECE) setting is ideal for the implementation of obesity prevention practices. However, there are barriers present for implementing nutrition policies in this setting. Objective The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the implementation of food and beverage best practices in the ECE setting and highlight barriers and facilitators to adopting these policies. Study Design, Setting, Participants The study sample included ECE teachers in Georgia serving children ages 0-5. A randomized, stratified sample of facilities was selected. Researchers conducted 24 interviews and 6 focus groups with ECE program directors and teachers in 6 regions in Georgia. A trained qualitative researcher facilitated focus groups and interviews. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Data were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative data analysis software, NVivo 10, was used to code data and identify emergent themes. Results Several key themes related to barriers against food and beverage policy implementation emerged, including the need for enhanced parent communication, resources to limit juice consumption, and support to decrease food costs. Facilitators of nutrition policy implementation included ease of access to water, children's preferences for fruits and vegetables, and availability of existing nutrition resources. Findings will inform the development of resources to support nutrition policy implementation as well as policy training for ECE teachers in Georgia. Conclusions Study findings may provide insight about how to improve current resources and develop new strategies to promote adoption and implementation of nutrition policies in the ECE setting. Funding Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Determining eLearning Preferences to Inform Beverage Policy Training for Early Care and Education Teachers

ObjectiveTo determine the eLearning preferences of early care and education (ECE) teachers for an effective beverage policy training. MethodsMixed methods study conducted with ECE directors and teachers in 6 regions throughout Georgia. Researchers used an eLearning survey (n = 646) along with focus groups (n = 6) and interviews (n = 24) to determine eLearning preferences and preferred eLearning format. Descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis were used for data analysis. ResultsMost ECE teachers in Georgia (85%) have never had a beverage policy training. Participants (48%) reported they would definitely use the Internet for training. Qualitative analysis revealed key themes; training should be engaging, concise, hold the trainees accountable, and be interactive. Interactive video is the preferred eLearning format. Conclusions and ImplicationsInterventions that promote national beverage recommended in the ECE setting are critically needed. Study findings may inform other states about the feasibility of using eLearning to provide beverage policy training for ECE providers in other states.