To improve the climate of employment for early childhood Jewish educators in Miami-Dade, Florida. The project piloted in four sites: Bet Shira Congregation’s Early Childhood Center, Dave and Mary Alper Jewish Community Center’s Early Childhood Center, Hebrew Academy of Greater Miami’s Early Childhood Center, and Temple Beth Sholom’s Early Childhood Center. The Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education worked with each site to assess their environment and create a vision, help forge partnerships, develop action recommendations, mobilize the community, and implement the change. Project Kavod accomplished several significant changes:

• The sites increased their early childhood Jewish educators (ECJE) salaries.
• The lay leaders and non-ECJE professional staff increased their active support for improving the quality and culture of employment for the ECJE program.
• The ECJE programs increased their General Education standards and extent of their General Education professional development.
• The sites increased the financial incentives for professional development.

More to Consider:

• Get ‘Em While They’re Young: Preschools Get First Crack at Families (interfaithfamily.com)