Early Childhood Policy Fellowship
Capstone Project
Putting learning into action
Capstone projects are a key part of the fellowship, allowing you to apply new skills and knowledge directly to your work. As part of the application, you’ll propose a project that builds on your current role to create lasting systems-level change. Your project can be based on existing work or something new, and it should be within your sphere of influence.
The examples below are just a starting point—your project can go beyond these suggestions.
Example Projects
- Operationalizing Equity in QRIS Systems
A fellow will examine his/her state’s current QRIS system to make recommendations to inform how to operationalize equity across each tier. Over the course of the year, the fellow will complete an impact analysis of the current QRIS system by (1) examining the current QRIS System to identify equity gaps and opportunities, (2) conducting an analysis of research centered on equity in QRIS (3) reviewing other states QRIS and/or continuous quality improvement policies to identify current realities of the system, intended outcomes, challenges, and accomplishments. This will culminate in a report detailing recommendations for equitable QRIS reform for state leadership teams that could include specific shifts in funding, workforce equity, equity in workforce preparation and development, high-quality curriculum and pedagogy, global classroom quality measurement, harsh discipline, equity for children with disabilities, linguistic equity for multilingual learners, family engagement, or data-driven continuous equitable quality improvement. - Recommendations to Strengthen the Workforce
A fellow will examine a current workforce issue, such as the workforce deficit, to identify ways in which to close the workforce gap(s). Over the course of the year, the fellow will (1) complete a landscape analysis of the current state of the ECE workforce in their respective state or context, (2) conduct a literature review around the workforce deficit in Early Childhood Education, (2) identify trends and patterns creating and/or reinforcing the deficit, (3) review the current state of the workforce in his/her respective state. This will culminate in an action plan to address the workforce deficit for Workforce leadership teams, which may include addressing one or more of the following: equitable pay parity, teacher preparation programs, the development of and/or strengthening apprenticeship programs, and career pathways.