Pinellas County, Fla.
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The Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County has agreed to offer the Child Care WAGE$® FLORIDA program to early childhood educators in targeted high-need communities. WAGE$ rewards early childhood educators with salary supplements based on their education and commitment to their employer. The program is designed to increase compensation, education, and retention, all of which improve quality in early education classrooms and provide a foundation for ongoing success.
The early learning workforce prepares children for school. However, turnover in the field is 30-40 percent, and there is a shortage of qualified educators. Early care and education (ECE) is a high demand, low wage profession. In fact,
63 percent of early childhood educators rely on public assistance.
"The average annual salary
of a preschool teacher
($20,987)
is half that of a kindergarten teacher," said Lindsay Carson, Chief Executive Officer of the Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County. "I applaud our Coalition's board of directors, who, in partnership with the Children's Forum, are addressing compensation and other challenges of the ECE workforce. By implementing WAGE$ in Pinellas County, we are
increasing compensation, reducing turnover, and providing children with more stable relationships and better-educated teachers
."
A study conducted in Miami-Dade County showed that WAGE$ participants had higher quality interactions with children in their classrooms based on the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), a measure linked to positive child outcomes.
WAGE$ salary supplements are determined by a teacher's level of education. For example, a teacher or family child care provider who holds a national Child Development Associate (CDA) credential is eligible for a $450 annual supplement. Participants can earn up to $1,500 per year with an Associate degree in Early Childhood Education.
