Project
Learning Community: Bold on Early Educator Compensation
Bringing together leaders and advocates from seven states to advance compensation for the early childhood workforce.
About the Project
The Bold on Early Educator Compensation Learning Community brings together a group of 20+ advocates, government representatives, and legislators from seven states to:
- Identify barriers to improving early educator compensation and strategies to overcome those barriers
- Build understanding and capacity to implement policies that increase wages and improve access to benefits such as paid sick leave and health insurance
- Document and disseminate strategies beyond participants in the learning community, to stakeholders across the ECE field, especially those engaged in state policy formulation and implementation
I’m more hopeful than ever about the promise in various states to be able to raise compensation for early childhood staff, and excited to see the progress being made around the country.
Bethany Patten
Director, Office of Early Childhood Illinois Department of Human Services,
Learning Community Participant 2022
Learning Community Structure
Regular convenings
- Featuring panels of speakers from case study states
- Participant-driven conversation in open listening sessions
- Building relationships
- Sharing best practices
Case Studies
- In-depth case studies in New Mexico and North Carolina
- Capturing lessons learned from recent bold advancements for early educator compensation
Share learnings with the field
- Slides from each convening available below
- Read our Learning Community 2022 Brief
- Read CSCCE’s targeted publications for legislators, educators, and other policymakers
About the Participants
We invited three to four participants from seven states who have demonstrated a bold commitment to ECE compensation. Participants range in role, and typically include from each state:
- An early educator or staff member of an advocacy organization that represents early educators
- A member of a related state agency
- A state legislator who has demonstrated commitment to early care and education
The cohort participating in this year’s learning community has been set. Throughout the year, we will be sharing our findings and resources with the broader ECE community.
Illinois
- Angela Farwig, Vice President Public Policy, Research and Advocacy, Illinois Action for Children
- Michelle Wood, Quality Initiatives Administrator, Illinois Dept. of Health and Human Services
- Teresa Ramos, 1st Assistance Deputy for Education, Governor’s Team
Massachusetts
- Ellen Grondine, Sr. Associate Commissioner for Workforce Development, MA Dept. of Early Care and Education
- Felicia Billy, Center Director
- Marisa Fear, Associate Dir. of Research and Policy, Strategies for Children
New Mexico
- Matthew Henderson, Executive Director Education Fund, Organizers in the Land of Enchantment (OLE)
- Shay Everitt, Director of Strategy, New Mexico Dept. of Early Childhood Education and Care
- Ivydel Natachu, Early Childhood Education Leader, Organizers in the Land of Enchantment (OLE)
North Carolina
- Tori Black, Division of Child Development and Early Education for the Department of Health and Human Services
- Kristi Snuggs, Executive Director, Child Care Services Association
- Michele Miller-Cox, Executive Director, First Presbyterian Day School
- State Rep. Ashton Clemmons (D)
Washington
- Gabriela Quinana, Senior Policy Associate, Economic Opportunity Institute
- Diana Stokes, Staff Qualifications Manager, Washington Dept. of Children and Families
Wisconsin
- Corrine Hendrickson, Founding Member of Wisconsin Early Childhood Action Needed (WECAN), Owner and Educator of Corrine’s Little Explorers Family Child Care
- Priya Bhatia, Administrator, Division of Early Care and Education at Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
- Ruth Schmidt, Executive Director at Wisconsin Early Childhood Association
- State Senator LaTonya Johnson (D)
Vermont
- Chloe Learey, Executive Director of the Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development
- Sherry Carlson, Chief Program Officer, Let’s Grow Kids
- Staci Otis, Family Child Care Provider
Illinois
- Lilian Matsuda, Director of Policy and Advocacy, IL Action for Children
- Bethany Patten, Associate Director of Office of Early Childhood, Department of Human Services
- Theresa Hawley, Governor’s Office Illinois’ Early Childhood Transformation Team
Massachusetts
- Jocelyn Bowne, Director of Research and Preschool Expansion Grant, Department of Early Education and Care
- Marisa Fear, Associate Director of Research and Policy, Strategies for Children
- Tara Wilson, Legislative and Budget Director, Office of State Senator Susan Moran
New Mexico
- State Rep. Linda Serrato
- Matthew Henderson, Executive Director, Organizers in the Land of Enchantment (OLÉ)
North Carolina
- State Rep. Ashton Clemmons
- Ariel Ford, Director of the Division of Child Development and Early Education for the Department of Health and Human Services
- Marsha Basloe, President, Child Care Services Association
Washington
- Angela Abrams, Director Eligibility and Provider Supports, Department of Children, Youth, and Families
- Gabriela Quintana, Advocacy Director, Economic Opportunity Institute (EOI)
- State Rep. Tana Senn
Wisconsin
- Corrine Hendrickson, Founding Member of Wisconsin Early Childhood Action Needed (WECAN), Owner and Educator of Corrine’s Little Explorers Family Child Care
- Erin Arango-Escalante, Administrator, Division of Early Care and Education, Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
- State Rep. Jill Billings
- Ruth Schmidt, Executive Director, Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA)
Vermont
- Chloe Learey, Executive Director, Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development
- Sherry Carlson, Chief Program Officer, Let’s Grow Kids
Topics for Each Learning Community
Convenings 2023
Throughout 2023, we will meet as a group for three core convenings and two additional listening sessions. Stay tuned as we add more related resources.
May Convening #1: Welcome to Year 2 and Re-orientation to the Learning Community
August Convening #2: Putting the Pieces Together, Deep Dive on New Mexico based on early case study findings
September: Optional Listening Session
October Convening #3: Putting the Pieces Together, Deep Dive on North Carolina based on early case study findings
October: Optional Listening Session
Convenings 2022
Throughout 2022 we met as a group for 15 one-hour sessions on topics ranging from wage increase mechanisms and access to benefits, to building political power with early educators. See below for slides and summary sheets for each topic.
January 21: Kick-Off Convening
Introductions, overview of the Learning Community & creating shared goals.
February 18: What Does it Mean to be Bold on Compensation?
Creating a shared definition and framework for taking action on compensation.
March 4: Increasing Wages (Mechanisms)
Deeper dive discussions on salary scales, using ARPA stabilization grants to incentivize wage increase, and direct payments.
March 18: Increasing Wages (Mechanisms)
In a deeper discussion about mechanisms for wage increases, the group heard from guest speaker, Ruqiyyah Anbar-Shaheen, Director of Early Childhood Policy at DC Action & Coalition Director at DC Under 3.
April 1: Benefits
Exploring mechanisms for and barriers to providing health care benefits. Hear from advocates in Washington and New Mexico about strategies for increasing access to health care.
April 15: Benefits
Exploring mechanisms for and barriers to providing other benefits (paid leave, retirement etc.). Learn from advocates in Massachusetts about efforts to increase access to paid leave and retirement.
May 20: Financing Mechanisms
Discuss financing mechanisms needed to make progress on compensation such as cost modeling and contracts; Learn from advocates in Illinois about their efforts to use a cost model and contracts to address compensation.
June 17: Financing Strategies
Discuss strategies to secure multi-level and sustained funding for ECE compensation.
July 15: Data Collection
Discuss data collection to evaluate impact.
August 19: Program Administration
Building administrative infrastructure that is efficient and equitable.
September 2: Build Political Power
Coalition-building and advocacy.
September 16: Build Political Power
Engaging and empowering educators as participants in advocacy and decision-making processes.
October 7: Build Political Power
Deep dive into the role of legislators, legislative action, and effective legislative advocacy.
October 21: Build Political Power
Sustaining compensation policy momentum from ARPA and beyond.
November 18: Final Convening
CSCCE Compensation Learning Community Members Speak Up
Questions?
Contact Annie Dade at adade@berkeley.edu.
Case Studies
To be added.