As Director for the E3 Institute — Excellence in Early Education, Ilene Hertz leads the Institute’s early learning initiatives. Her work includes advocacy, strategic planning, program administration, contracts development, and technology.
E3 administers the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) rating process for Santa Clara (CA) County, which links participating programs to quality improvement resources. Through the QRIS process, the E3 Institute implements programs that offer opportunities for early educators to advance their own professional development as well as their organizations’ overall effectiveness, including the distribution of financial incentives, collaboration with higher education institutions, and the promotion of the California Statewide Professional Development Registry.
Hertz’s work with technology use has enabled the Institute to shape, plan, and implement its policies, programs, and initiatives based on the data it collects. As a result, the E3 Institute has been recognized statewide for its innovative and successful approaches to workforce development, due largely to its data-driven approach.
In addition, Hertz contributed to the development of the California Department of Education’s Early Childhood Educator Competencies. This statewide evidence-based set of competencies addresses the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that early childhood professionals need in order to support the development and learning of young children.
Hertz provides leadership in regional, state, and national forums to shape policies to improve the quality of early education. A longtime advocate for the child development field, Hertz has worked in early education policy development for more than 30 years.
She received a BA in social policy from Hampshire College and an MA in human services administration from Lesley College.