All Together Now: Progress and Promise in Advancing Early Childhood Education as a Profession Deb Norris September 28, 2021

Vermont’s early childhood educators and advocates are working to create a dynamic, diverse, well-resourced and well-compensated profession. And many are asking: are we making progress? The short answer is: yes, we are! In this plenary session, we’ll hear from early childhood policy leaders from around the nation about the impact of early childhood educators coming together to advocate for the respect and investments the profession deserves. Together, we’ll discuss the benefits and challenges of uniting as a field, explore strategies from other states engaged in this same work and consider key questions still to be answered. We encourage (or hope) you will add your voice to this important conversation. This plenary session will also include the presentation of the 2021 Vermont Early Childhood Educator of the Year award.