Abt’s State and Local Partnerships to Inform Early Care and Education Policy and Practice
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Inadequate compensation of the early care and education (ECE) workforce has been a persistent problem in the U.S. and has reached a critical juncture. Particularly in the current economic environment, childcare providers are struggling to find and retain qualified educators, leaving fewer options for parents and less quality care and education for their young children. At the same time, those who do serve as early childhood educators, disproportionately women and individuals of color, often contend with low pay, limited benefits, and few opportunities for job advancement. In the face of these challenges, some states and localities are beginning to take meaningful steps to change the compensation trajectory for the ECE workforce. This webinar presents information gained from Abt’s extensive ECE and career pathways research and technical assistance to highlight the compensation challenges faced by the ECE workforce and potential policy solutions. Guest speakers shared the strategies their states and localities have pursued, including implementing a compensation schedule, establishing a pay equity fund, and providing health insurance coverage for ECE workers. The webinar provides policymakers, practitioners, and advocates with lessons to move the needle on compensation for the ECE workforce.
Presenters
Abt Global:
Adele Robinson, Principal Associate
Deena Schwartz, Senior Associate
David Kaz, Principal Associate (Moderator)
Guest Speakers
Beth Bye, Commissioner, State of Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
Kim Perry, Executive Director, DC Action for Children
What Will You Learn?
- What are the current wage and advancement trajectories for workers within ECE occupations, and how do they differ by gender and race/ethnicity?
- What general strategies are there for improving the compensation of the ECE workforce?
- What strategies are states and localities using to improve compensation of the ECE workforce, and how did they develop and implement them?
- How can you lay the groundwork for a similar strategy in your state, county, or city?
Who Should Attend?
- Federal, state, and local policymakers
- Research/academic and policy organization staff focused on early childhood education, workforce, postsecondary education, labor market, poverty, equity, women, family well-being, and related areas
- Philanthropic organization staff focused on similar issues
- State and local workforce development boards/American Job Centers
- Advocates for early childhood education and pay equity
This event is part of Abt’s Workforce & Economic Mobility Learning Series. More information and previous recorded events are available here.
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Additional Resources
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Career Pathways in Early Care and Education - Career Pathways Design Study
The rapid rise of career pathways strategies, including an emphasis on them in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, creates a need for more evidence on this approach. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Chief Evaluation Office contracted with Abt Global to conduct the Career Pathways Design Study, to develop evaluation design options that could address critical gaps in knowledge related to the approach, implementation, and success of career pathways strategies generally, and in early care and education (ECE) specifically.To inform thinking about evaluation design options, Abt produced reports on (1) research and evaluation relevant to career pathways approaches, (2) the implementation of existing and past career pathways initiatives, and (3) the potential for career pathways approaches in early care and education.This document is the third of these reports for the project—an analysis of the potential for career pathways approaches in the ECE sector. The primary purpose of this report is to inform the evaluation design options. With that in mind, our analysis summarizes current major reports and initiatives relevant to the development of career pathways approaches for the ECE workforce.
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The first five years of a child’s life comprise the most dynamic period for their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. Children who experience developmentally, culturally, and linguistically responsive early childhood education programs are more likely to build a strong foundation for success in school and life.
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Over the last 30 years, adults in the United States with a high school education or less have experienced stagnating wages and relatively high unemployment, while those with postsecondary credentials enjoyed economic gains (Autor, 2015; Carnevale et al.,…
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