The relationship between the federal government of the United States and each of the five inhabited U.S. territories—American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—is steeped in historical inequities that persist today. The 2020 Early Childhood Workforce Index called attention to these inequities, and these concerns remain relevant as we seek to understand the experiences of early educators in the territories. The available data and information are limited, however.

These early educators face marginalization because of their political status in the United States as territory residents. For the most part, residents of the territories are considered U.S. citizens (residents of American Samoa being the exception), yet they are subject to different treatment because of the territories’ lack of statehood. While the territories have their own governments and governors (similar to the states), residents do not have federal voting rights. This status means, for example, that U.S. citizens born in Puerto Rico have no say in presidential elections or federal legislation—including the authorization of statehood, which falls to Congress—despite the island having a population three times the size of Rhode Island. In addition to their secondary political status, the U.S. territories are islands physically separated from the continental United States. In some cases, such as American Samoa, the territories also have very small populations. Residents of the U.S. territories face multiple barriers that increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. They not only lack infrastructure support from the federal government to bolster responses to economic downturns and recurrent natural disasters, but also have more limited health infrastructure.¹ Hall, C., Rudowitz, R., & Gifford, K. (2019). Medicaid in the Territories: Program Features, Challenges, and Changes. Kaiser Family Foundation. https://www.kff.org/report-section/medicaid-in-the-territories-program-features-challenges-and-changes-issue-brief/.

These factors, an outgrowth of the dynamics of colonialism and the effects of systemic racism, lead to the territories being sidelined or given inequitable treatment in areas such as federal funding, media reporting, and data collection efforts. A lack of data contributes to the inequity and can mask the magnitude of disparities with residents of the states as well as the impacts of these disparities on the populations in the territories. 

The lack of general data about residents of the territories is also reflected in early care and education (ECE). Nationwide data collection efforts, such as the National Survey of Early Care and Education, often do not include the territories, which exacerbates the challenges in understanding the status and well-being of the early educators who live and work there. These broad and specific challenges pose barriers to building high-quality ECE services, including appropriate preparation, support, and compensation. Early educators and policy leaders in the territories must be included in federal policy discussions and decision-making bodies to increase equity and inform effective ECE program design and implementation. Effective and equitable ECE programming also requires that adequate funding be available and accessible to the territories. 

Due to unprecedented circumstances in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, additional (but temporary) funding became available to the territories. The federal government allocated a combined total of $32 billion to the five U.S territories.²U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2023, September 19). COVID-19: U.S. Territory Experiences Could Inform Future Federal Relief. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-106050#:~:text=Federal%20agencies%20allocated%20more%20than,and%20the%20U.S.%20Virgin%20Islands Of this total, $679 million³ U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2023, September 19). COVID-19: U.S. Territory Experiences Could Inform Future Federal Relief. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-106050#:~:text=Federal%20agencies%20allocated%20more%20than,and%20the%20U.S.%20Virgin%20Islands in supplemental relief funding was allocated to stabilize child care through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). Federal relief funding addressed the dire consequences of COVID-19, and at the same time, presented an opportunity to bolster territory infrastructure and make strides to improve child care as a priority industry. Additionally, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many territories received funding through the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) to support their ECE system building. 

The infusion of time-limited COVID relief funds provided critical support to the child care sector in the U.S. territories, and PDG B-5 grants offered a promising opportunity for territories to make system level improvements. However, the gains made are fleeting without sustained funding increases along with technical assistance to access and implement funds. Investment in technical assistance modeled as responsive relationships to support territory-led efforts is imperative to improving ECE systems and advancing equitable outcomes for early educators, families, and children.The following are brief profiles of the territories. For more information on our sources for the 2024 Index, see Appendix 1: Data Sources & Methodology.

Explore the US territories:

• American Samoa
• Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)
• Guam
• Puerto Rico
• U.S. Virgin Islands

American Samoa

About

• Location: Group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
• Total Population: 44,620 (2023 est.)
• Child Population Under Age 6: Not available
• GDP Per Capita: $11,200 (2016 est.) 
• Major Racial and Ethnic Groups: Nearly 90 percent of the population is Samoan, and there is a small population of Tongans (3 percent) and Filipinos (2 percent) (2010 est.).

Early Care and Education

Federal Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) resources are administered through the American Samoa Department of Human and Social Services. The American Samoa Department of Education houses the Early Childhood Education/Head Start division and operates early childhood education centers. There is no publicly funded pre-K program. A quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) is under development.

Use of Federal Funds

American Samoa used federal relief funds to expand access to child care by engaging new providers and increasing reimbursement rates by at least 50 percent.⁴ American Samoa Government, Department of Human and Social Services. (2021). CRRSA Funding Report. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/occ/CRRSA_60_Day_Report_2021_American_Samoa.pdf

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)

About

• Location: Islands in the western part of the North Pacific Ocean, about three quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
• Total Population: 51,295 (2023 est.)
• Child population Under Age 6: Not available
• GDP Per Capita: $24,500 (2016 est.)
• Major Racial and Ethnic Groups: Asian, 50 percent (includes Filipino, 35.3 percent; Chinese, 6.8 percent; Korean, 4.2 percent; and other Asian, 3.7 percent); Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 34.9 percent (includes Chamorro, 23.9 percent; Carolinian, 4.6 percent; and other Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 6.4 percent); other, 2.5 percent; two or more ethnicities or races, 12.7 percent (2010 est.)

About

• Location: Island in the northwestern part of the North Pacific Ocean, about three quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
• Total Population: 169,330 (2023 est.)¹Total population estimate may include U.S. military personnel stationed in Guam.
• Child Population Under Age 6: Not available
• GDP Per Capita: $35,600 (2016 est.)
• Major Racial and Ethnic Groups: A little more than one third of the population identify as Chamorro (37 percent), and about one quarter identify as Filipino (26 percent) (2010 est.).

Early Care and Education

The Guam Department of Human Services administers federal CCDF dollars through the Division of Children's Wellness under the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services. Guam’s Department of Education administers Head Start services, typically through the island’s elementary schools. Guam is also the only U.S. territory to establish a territory-funded Pre-K Program. In four regions of the territory’s school district, each public school has a prekindergarten program. Lead teachers in Guam must have an associate degree with early childhood education specialization and either pre-K or pre-K to 2nd grade certification. Additionally, lead teachers are required to participate in 30 hours of in-service professional development annually. Assistant teachers must hold a high school diploma and are not required to participate in professional development.⁶ Friedman-Krauss, A.H., Barnett, W.S., Garver, K.A., Hodges, K.S., Weisenfeld, G.G., Gardiner, B.A., & Jost, T.M. (2023). The State of Preschool 2022: State Preschool Yearbook. National Institute for Early Education Research. https://nieer.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/yb2022_fullreport.pdf. A QRIS is under development.

Use of Federal Funds

Through the use of federal relief funds, Guam established the Child Care Assistance Program-Stabilization (CAPS2021) to invest $17.2 million or $400,000 per child care center over 18 months to stabilize child care by improving facilities and supporting the ECE workforce, children, and families.⁷ Office of Governor Lou Leon Guerrero. (2022, January 5). Leon Guerrero-Tenorio Administration Invests $17.2M in Childcare Industry [Press release]. https://governor.guam.gov/press_release/leon-guerrero-tenorio-administration-invests-17-2m-in-childcare-industry/

About

• Location: Island in the Caribbean Sea, east of the Dominican Republic
• Total Population: 3,057,311 (2023 est.)
• Child Population Under Age 6: 122,605 (2022)
• GDP Per Capita: $32,600 (2021 est.)
• Major Racial and Ethnic Groups: While most of the population identifies as Hispanic/Latinx (99 percent), 76 percent also identify as White and 12 percent as Black (2010 est.). 

Early Care and Education

ECE programs are administered through the Administración para el Cuidado y Desarrollo Integral de la Niñez (ACUDEN, Administration for Comprehensive Child Care and Development), a government agency created for the explicit purpose of administering federal ECE funds. Puerto Rico organizes their education system as levels. Level One is nursery school for children under age four. This level is optional and consists of Early Head Start, Head Start, and other prekindergarten programs.⁸ Friedman-Krauss, A.H., Barnett, W.S., Garver, K.A., Hodges, K.S., Weisenfeld, G.G., Gardiner, B.A., & Jost, T.M. (2023). The State of Preschool 2022: State Preschool Yearbook. National Institute for Early Education Research. https://nieer.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/yb2022_fullreport.pdf. ACUDEN also runs the QRIS system, Pasitos (Baby Steps), which is currently undergoing revisions.

Use of Federal Funds

In Puerto Rico, PDG B-5 funds were used to create the PDG B-5 Strategic Plan, which was inclusively developed by a group of professionals, experts, researchers, teachers, parents, and caregivers. The plan is a multiyear strategy to implement a comprehensive ECE system for all children, particularly those considered most vulnerable.⁹ Department of the Family, Administration for the Integral Child Care and Development of the Puerto Rico. (2021). 2021 Strategic Plan: Puerto Rico Preschool Development Grant Birth to Five. https://docs.pr.gov/files/ACUDEN/PDG-B5/Strategic%20Plan%20Puerto%20Rico%20Preschool%20Development%20Grant%20Birth%20to%20Five%20PDG-B5.pdf 

U.S. Virgin Islands

About

• Location: Island in the Caribbean Sea, east of the Dominican Republic
• Total Population: 104,917 (2023 est.)
• Child Population Under Age 6: Not available
• GDP Per Capita: $37,000 (2016 est.)
• Major Racial and Ethnic Groups: Black, 76 percent; White, 15.6 percent; Asian, 1.4 percent; other, 4.9 percent; and multiracial, 2.1 percent; additionally, 17.4 percent self-identify as Latinx (2010 est.) 

Early Care and Education

The Department of Human Services administers Head Start and CCDF funding across the three main islands. All ECE directors and teachers are required to have a Child Development Associate (CDA) and complete 24 hours of professional development training annually. The Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE) introduced a preschool program called the “Granny Preschool Program” in the 2018-2019 school year.¹⁰ Friedman-Krauss, A.H., Barnett, W.S., Garver, K.A., Hodges, K.S., Weisenfeld, G.G., Gardiner, B.A., & Jost, T.M. (2023). The State of Preschool 2022: State Preschool Yearbook. National Institute for Early Education Research. https://nieer.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/yb2022_fullreport.pdf. The purpose of this preschool program is to support students who will enroll in kindergarten in the upcoming school year. A QRIS is under development and has been piloted.

Use of Federal Funds

The U.S. Virgin Islands developed a plan to recruit qualified ECE teachers and increase program quality. The University of the Virgin Islands and the Virgin Islands Department of Human Services, Office of Child Care and Regulatory Services are partnering to provide scholarship opportunities for professional development and education to the ECE workforce.¹¹ Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Care. (2022). Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Plan for Virgin Islands (FFY 2022-2024). https://www.acf.hhs.gov/occ/form/approved-ccdf-plans-fy-2022-2024 To advance this approach, the Virgin Islands legislature enacted a law to provide a free undergraduate degree in early childhood education to individuals who have graduated from local Virgin Islands high schools.¹² Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Care. (2022). Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Plan for Virgin Islands (FFY 2022-2024). https://www.acf.hhs.gov/occ/form/approved-ccdf-plans-fy-2022-2024