Happy 15th Anniversary TECTA!

It was 15 years ago when Dr. Becky Isbell shared an idea with Dr. Sue Floyd and me about a childcare provider training program called Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance (TECTA). It had been created over dinner on a napkin by Janet Camp, the director of Child Care Services and Barbara Nye, the director of Tennessee State University Center of Excellence for Research and Policy on Basic Skills. The TECTA idea was to offer 30 hours free training for childcare teachers and pay a portion of tuition for advanced training.

A steering committee was formed of which Dr. Isbell, then Graduate Coordinator of the Early Childhood Program, was a part. She spent many hours on the road between ETSU and Nashville and within a year, the foundation for TECTA had been laid. Soon after, Dr. Isbell, Dr. Floyd and I applied for and received a pilot grant from the management team of Tennessee State University.

Our first charge was to write 10 modules for the state. The committee was composed of Lydia Freeman, Kaye Davis, Dr. Isbell, Dr. Floyd and myself. With the modules completed, we were ready to begin training. In July 1993, during the East Tennessee State University Early Childhood Conference, we had our first class. These 26 students have since been referred to as the “TECTA Pioneers”. Chattanooga State Technical Community College started the program simultaneously with ETSU and was followed by Tennessee State University and Dyersburg Community College. Between 1998 and 2000, programs were established at Roane State Community College, Middle Tennessee State University, Austin Peay State University, Southwest Tennessee Community College and Tennessee Technological University.

With nine sites operating, TECTA is now able to serve every county in the state. There have been many changes throughout the years but one thing hasn’t changed: our purpose to establish a statewide professional development system, enhance the qualifications of early childhood education personnel and improve child care in Tennessee!

Marilyn Buchanan
ETSU-TECTA Coordinator

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