The Quest for Equity and Quality in Texas: ECE Provider Experience Through a Racial Equity Lens

Explore opportunities and challenges to address racial disparities in the Texas early childhood education workforce through work that is identifying structural barriers, examining statewide QRIS participation, analyzing survey results, and discussing research-based practices to inform policy and advocacy recommendations. Participants will receive valuable insight on understanding staff competency around racial equity, the correlation between staff racial/ethnic backgrounds, the children they serve, and racial disparities within the workforce. Participants will also learn how to identify systemic/structural barriers in QRIS participation. Participants can use findings from the work in Texas, which is a collaboration between researchers from Prairie View A&M, a historically black college in Texas; CHILDREN AT RISK a non-partisan research and advocacy nonprofit dedicated to understanding and addressing the root causes of child poverty and inequality; and Texas early care and education providers, to develop research-based practices and strategies to inform advocacy efforts and policy recommendations.