About Us

Who We Are

The New York City Early Childhood Professional Development Institute (PDI) is a public/private partnership that brings together a range of city agencies, a consortium of private funders, and the nation’s largest urban university to build a comprehensive system of professional development for individuals who work with young children in New York City.

Our Mission

Children need to spend their most critical years with dedicated, educated, trained, and well-compensated individuals in order to thrive in today’s society. PDI works to ensure that all early childhood practitioners have access to a comprehensive system of professional development that supports high-quality services for New York City’s children and their families. Recruitment of a talented workforce; competency-based teacher education programs and training opportunities; innovative models of technical assistance; effective public policy; and adequate funding are integral components of this system.