Early educators are among the lowest-paid workers in the country, yet the work they do is critically important for children, families, and the economy. The Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at IRLE issued the inaugural edition of a biennial report on the early care and education workforce: The Early Childhood Workforce Index. The report represents the first effort to establish a baseline description of early childhood employment conditions and policies in every state. Based on a series of measurable indicators, the report provides states with overall appraisals of their efforts to address persistent challenges facing the early childhood workforce, including policies such as minimum wage legislation and paid family leave. The co-authors of the report will discuss key findings of the report and its implications for policy.

Read more about the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment.

Marcy Whitebook is the Director of the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at UC Berkeley.

Caitlin McLean is the Workforce Research Specialist at CSCCE.