As we lead up to our 30th anniversary on April 16th, we’re excited to launch our #30for30VoicesofImpact campaign, featuring stories from our partners, programs, and staff! Get to know the voices working towards a stronger and more supportive early childhood ecosystem here in Durham.
“WAGE$ has been a blessing in many ways and in times when I did not know how I was going to pay for electricity and other bills in my household,” said one teacher in Durham County.
For early care and education professionals, struggling to cover all household bills on a low salary is a harsh reality. Due to lower compensation and lack of mobility in the field, early care and education programs often have high rates of turnover. Not only does this impact program quality and stability, but it also affects the continuity of care a child receives.
The statewide WAGE$ program, administered by Early Years, addresses the issue by providing salary supplements to teachers, directors, and family child care providers that meet education and eligibility requirements. Designed to increase retention, education, and compensation, the program offers early childhood professionals more stability in their careers, in turn providing more stability in the classroom.
Last year, 224 child care professionals in 107 Durham child care programs participated in the Child Care WAGE$® Program. Because of programs like WAGE$, children can have more secure relationships with better-educated and longer-tenured teachers. When teachers feel more supported and compensated, the effects support higher quality care for our youngest children.
“I don’t have words to say how powerful the program is. It speaks volumes to the resources and support teachers don’t have. They don’t have compensation or recognition, and as a society they don’t feel that. It’s important for them to feel that,” said Allison Miller, Compensation Initiatives Sr. Vice President at Early Years. “A supplement can be life-changing.”
Learn more about WAGE$ at: www.earlyyearsnc.org/programs/wages
Written by: Kristen Luft, Community Awareness Manager
