The mission of the Early Childhood Training Center is to improve the quality of services to children –birth to 8 – and to their families, through individualized technical assistance, training, and evaluation that builds on the strengths of our clients.

Early childhood training extends to four states

Portland State University’s early childhood training is accessible to educators in four states through onsite training and consultation, as well as through distance delivery, workshops, and a variety of other formats. The impact of the training and consultation through Quality Centers is far-reaching, affecting young children from diverse ethnic, socioeconomic, and racial backgrounds.

Early Childhood Training assists organizations and individuals in all aspects of early childhood development and family support. Special concerns include those with disabilities, early childhood care and education, health, infants and toddlers, and program management and development.

The center serves Head Start programs in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska.

Ongoing assessment measures outcomes and satisfaction

The Early Childhood Training Center regularly assesses the impact of its training and technical assistance to Head Start programs in its service area. A third-party evaluator conducts an annual evaluation that focuses on outcomes for training participants, and customer satisfaction for end users. These two evaluation activities have provided rich information for program improvement and change in the Quality Center services.

• View a recent Outcomes Report.
• View a recent Executive Summary of the Customer Service Satisfaction Survey

Social competency training reaches Tennessee

The training center also provides a 9-credit Social Services Competency-Based Training (SSCBT) program for Head Start staff to work more effectively with families. One partner in this training is Tennessee State University, a historically black college.

Students enrolled in SSCBT participate in a rigorous pre- and post-evaluation process, observed by field-based mentors as well as instructors. All students participate in a summary review process.

For more information about the Early Childhood Training Center and the SSCBT program, please visit our website.