Preschool Director: Education, Salary, and Outlook
When it comes to early childhood education, preschool directors play a vital role. Childcare center or preschool directors are generally responsible for overseeing the daily activities and schedules, staff, and financial operations of the establishment.
Preschool directors can operate in a variety of settings, including private childcare institutions and public school districts. As early childhood education teachers, many preschool directors advance to the position of the director as their careers progress and they gain more expertise in the field.
At-a-glance: preschool director
For a preschool or early childhood institution to run smoothly, preschool directors are required. Even though they are not directly responsible for lesson design or curriculum implementation, they are in charge of ensuring that educational standards are followed and that the staff adheres to policies and procedures that have been developed specifically for the early childhood education setting.
Because early childhood education standards are governed by individual states, rules for student-to-teacher ratios, staff education levels, and other developmental norms fluctuate depending on where a preschool director practices.
There are three categories of early childhood schools where preschool directors typically work:
Centers and schools that are independently owned and operated
Schools that are part of a national network or franchise
The Head Start program and public school districts are examples of federally supported early childhood programs.
Job Description for Preschool Director
Preschool directors, regardless of the sort of early childhood facility in which they operate, share a common set of tasks and obligations. Some examples are as follows:
Preschool director job description
Supervisory positions include early childhood instructors and aides, among others.
Preparing program plans to guarantee that they comply with developmental and state standards
In each classroom, I am responsible for monitoring the daily activities.
Budget preparation, sometimes with the assistance of an assistant director or an owner
Examination of curriculum materials developed by teachers.
To maintain the state-mandated teacher-to-student ratios, additional training and hiring must be done when enrollment grows.
Providing assistance to staff workers in settling problems among children and in interacting with their parents and guardians
maintaining, cleaning, and ensuring that the facilities within the daycare center comply with state minimal standards
Seeing to it that all state and federal regulations are followed to avoid a state or federally sponsored facility from being forced to close its doors.
Who makes a good preschool director?
Early childhood education is a specialized field, and a preschool director should have extensive knowledge of it. Many preschool directors begin their careers in the classroom, which gives them a unique perspective on the work they do as preschool directors in their later years. The possibility exists that they will have a greater knowledge of what it is like to be a teacher, which will allow them to relate more effectively to their staff, particularly when they are experiencing difficulties.
Having strong communication skills is essential for a preschool director, as it is crucial for establishing relationships with families as well as staff members.
In general, preschool directors are concerned about their responsibilities, as the well-being of young children is dependent on their skill and understanding of the subject area. Additionally, adult staff members must be instilled with a similar feeling of duty in the classroom by the administration. Director’s of preschools must provide a good example, enforce appropriate rules, and perform all of the day-to-day activities.
Someone with natural leadership talents may become an excellent preschool director, as they are responsible for directing, training, and leading the preschool’s employees.
Preschool director in-depth
Education requirements for preschool directors
Even though the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that a bachelor’s degree is the normal entry-level education for preschool directors, many childcare facilities and preschool directors hold master’s degrees in early childhood education or a similar management discipline.
While a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education may be sufficient for a preschool director position, earning an additional degree may help you become more marketable during your job search process.
Preschool directors are required to have a certificate.
As a result, the licensing and certification criteria for preschool directors differ greatly from one state to another, and the regulations you should follow will depend on the jurisdiction in where you live or plan to operate.
In Oregon, for example, aspiring teachers can receive an initial teacher license that is valid for three years until the first renewal is applied for. Most of the time, the following requirements must be met to receive this permit:
Certification requirements for preschool directors
Completion of an accredited early childhood teacher training program is a prerequisite.
The Civil Rights Exam and the Subject Mastery Exam, which for preschool directors is likely to be the early childhood education test, are two different sorts of tests.
It is common for prospective preschool directors to have worked as an early childhood educator for a specified number of years before applying for a position with their organization.
Preschool director salary
According to a few different sources, the following are some average annual wages for preschool directors. Make a note of the fact that income is frequently affected by factors such as employment location and experience. Each of the numbers provided represents an average for the country.
$40,000,163 according to Glassdoor.
41237 according to PayScale.com
$47,819 according to ZipRecruiter.
Employment estimates for pre-school directors.
Over the next ten years, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a positive increase in the number of preschool directors. A 7 percent increase in employment is predicted for the year 2018-2028, which is regarded to be faster than the national average. Those who are interested in pursuing a career as a preschool director will discover a plethora of potential options, particularly in states where the need for early childhood education is more severe.
Challenges and opportunities for preschool directors
Preschool director employment projections
Pros
Being a preschool director has several benefits, one of which is the satisfaction that comes from working directly with children and their families. It is well understood by those who work in educational contexts that the impact of what is taught and how it is taught can be seen intangible results, such as a kid learning and growing in all areas of his or her development: physical, emotional, and intellectual.
A simple and smooth transition from the job of early childhood educator to that of the preschool director is possible. Following several years spent teaching in the classroom, many directors transition into their current positions. In addition to providing them with a unique perspective on the educational environment, it may also assist them in better understanding the opinions of other students and faculty members.
While the typical compensation for a preschool director is not very high, it is in the neighborhood of $40,000, which might be a comfortable amount for a single individual depending on where they live.
Cons
Working in a fast-paced workplace is one of the difficulties a preschool director may encounter — something that individuals who have previously worked as early childhood educators will be familiar with. Teaching frequently necessitates the ability to think on your feet, make split-second decisions, and improvise. As a preschool director, the same is true, except that the decisions you make may have an impact on the personnel you supervise, in addition to on the children and their parents.
Because you are in charge of supervising adult personnel and designing educational programs that help young children learn, grow, and get prepared for kindergarten, being a preschool director can be a difficult occupation.
Continuing Education for Preschool Directors
Preschool director professional development
Preschool directors are required to continue their professional development. If you are a preschool director, each state has its own set of standards about how many hours of professional development you must complete in a given year. In addition, organizations such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) offer a variety of professional development opportunities, and there may be local affiliates of this organization depending on where you live and work. Among other places, the NAEYC affiliate in Gladstone, Oregon is known as the Oregon Association for the Education of Young Children and is located in Gladstone.
Best of the web
Many professions are obliged to complete a certain number of continuing education courses to keep their preschool director certification. Each state has different annual requirements.
If you are a preschool director in Oregon, for example, you are required to take 15 hours of professional development, eight of which must be in one of eight core knowledge categories, which are as follows:
Diversity
Organizational Structures of Families and Neighborhoods
Nutritional Health and Safety
The Process of Human Growth and Development
Observation and evaluation of learning environments and curriculum Special needs
Learning to Recognize and Manage Behavior
Several self-study training alternatives are available for preschool directors through the Oregon Department of Education’s Early Learning Division.
Associations of preschool directors are professional organizations.
Getting involved with professional organizations in early childhood education can help you network with others in your field, locate volunteer opportunities, and get discounted conference registration rates. There are several professional organizations for preschool directors to consider joining, including the ones listed below.
NAFCC (National Association for Family Child Care) National Head Start Association (NHSA) Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) National Association for Early Childhood Education (NAEYC) National Association for Early Childhood Care and Education (NAEYC) (NAFCC)
In addition, there may be local affiliations for these organizations, or your state may have its department of early childhood education that can provide materials, training, and other opportunities for professional development.
Websites that rank highest on search engines
With the advancement of technology, preschool directors have a plethora of options to network with other professionals in the sector. It’s easy to share lesson ideas, work with other directors, and stay on top of what’s new and changing in the field of early childhood education by reading the blog postings listed below!
Educator Tom, who blogs: Tom Hobson, a preschool teacher, blogger, artist, and author, writes on this site to share his unique perspectives on teaching and learning from children. Tom is a preschool teacher, blogger, artist, and author. In addition to being humorous, his tales are also unforgettable.
Pages for Pre-Kindergarteners include: With a wealth of resources for preschool teachers and directors from Vanessa Levin’s experience as an early childhood educator, speaker, consultant, and author, this website is a must-visit. She provides hands-on lessons, themes, activities, and printables for preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten programs, among other things.