A recent research brief from the Prenatal to 3 Policy Impact Center examines state initiatives to improve compensation for early educators. Policies are discussed in five areas: wage supplements, bonuses and stipends, tax credits, benefit supports, and subsidized child care. It shares examples of programs from several states in each category, including Minnesota’s Great Start Compensation Grants (under bonuses and stipends). As the report notes, “Early educators play a vital role in supporting children’s development and enabling parents to work, yet they remain one of the most underpaid workforces in the nation. States may consider ways to increase or sustain investments in educators’ compensation to stabilize the workforce and strengthen the broader child care system.”

The report is available on the Prenatal to 3 Policy Impact Center website.