This spring, the RESPECT Across Nebraska project continued to strengthen pathways for early childhood educators through community building, cross-institution collaboration and innovative approaches to recognizing educator expertise. Below are highlights from the past quarter.
Congratulations!
We are so pleased to celebrate a special milestone for the RESPECT Scholars Program. Congratulations to Stoney Straatman, our first Scholar to complete the program and earn her Bachelor of Arts degree in early childhood inclusive education, as well as her Nebraska teaching certificate in December 2025! This accomplishment reflects her dedication, perseverance and commitment to advancing in the early childhood field. Balancing the demands of school alongside work and personal responsibilities is no small achievement, and Stoney’s success highlights the impact of strong support systems and accessible pathways. We are proud to have been part of her journey and look forward to the meaningful contributions she will continue to make for young children and families.
A Note of Appreciation
We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Kathleen Knudsen for her dedicated work as a RESPECT Navigator as she transitions off the project. In this role, Kathleen has been instrumental in supporting scholars throughout their journey, offering consistent emotional, academic and personal guidance as they balanced the demands of school, work and family. She has built strong, trusting relationships with students and served as a steady source of encouragement, helping them navigate challenges and stay focused on their goals. Her compassion, commitment and thoughtful approach have made a meaningful difference in the lives of the scholars she has supported and in the overall strength of the program. We are deeply appreciative of all she has contributed and thank her for the care and dedication she has shown to our RESPECT community over the last two years.
BRINGING PARTNERS TOGETHER: PATHWAYS TO POSSIBILITIES WEBINAR
On Feb. 5, RESPECT Across Nebraska hosted the “Pathways to Possibilities: Building Connected Pathways in Early Childhood Education” virtual convening, bringing together two- and four-year higher education faculty and institutional leaders from across the state with a clear purpose: to strengthen and align early childhood education pathways across Nebraska.
The session focused on improving collaboration between institutions to ensure smoother transitions for students, reduce barriers to degree completion, and ultimately, support a stronger, more prepared workforce. A key goal of the webinar was to create space for open dialogue, allowing participants to share perspectives, identify gaps in current systems, and explore opportunities for better coordination across programs and institutions.
Key highlights from the discussion included a renewed commitment to building sustained partnerships, increasing transparency around program requirements, and continuing initiatives that promote respect and alignment across institutions. Participants emphasized the importance of ongoing communication and regular convenings to maintain momentum and accountability. As an outcome of the webinar, there was shared agreement on the need for more structured collaboration moving forward, along with a collective focus on actionable steps that will improve student experiences and strengthen early childhood education pathways statewide. The group will reconvene in Spring 2027.
PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENTS WEBINAR
RESPECT Across Nebraska recently hosted a webinar on “Prior Learning Assessments: Expanding Access in Early Childhood Education,” bringing together educators, higher education leaders and partners from across the country. The session explored how prior learning assessments (PLA) can recognize the skills and experience early childhood professionals already have, helping reduce barriers to degree completion and expand access to higher education pathways. Through insights from national panelists and discussion among participants, the webinar highlighted the importance of clear processes, strong collaboration, and ongoing support systems to make PLA effective and accessible. Read our full blog post for a deeper look at key insights, panel perspectives, and next steps from the conversation. A video recording is also available.
Community Engagement
Analysis of focus groups is underway, identifying shared priorities and unique perspectives on what young children need to thrive and what early childhood educators should know and be able to do. Key research processes and learnings will be presented at the CYFS Early Childhood Research Summit in April.
Student Experiences & Supports
Analysis of 13 early childhood educator interviews is complete, with a final report forthcoming and a manuscript in development for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.
Assessments
A competency-based assessment format has been developed and is being piloted and evaluated this semester. The assessment is based on alignment of student learning outcomes for the course with satisfactory completion of the assessment will lead to students earning credit for prior learning.
Competencies
The RESPECT Competencies Framework has been refined to reduce redundancy and improve clarity and is aligned with NDE Rule 24 and InTASC standards.
Apprenticeships
Ten apprentices and ten mentors across Nebraska participated in orientation, mentorship and professional development, completing 401.5 credits and over 18,000 on-the-job training hours during the first year of the apprenticeship program. Mentors guided apprentices in building skills, relationships and NAEYC-aligned competencies while apprentices attended community colleges statewide.
- Visit our website regularly for the latest news and updates on the RESPECT project.
- Access meeting recordings, notes and other resources from the workgroups through the RESPECT Teams channel.
- View the project personnel directory.
Contact
If you have any questions, are interested in joining the project or one of our workgroups, email our project coordinator at respectnebraska@unl.edu.