In 2023, Minnesota lawmakers created the Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program, which provides funding to enhance compensation and benefits for early educators across the state. This program builds on a previous initiative called the Child Care Stabilization Grant Program. To receive funds, providers must be (1) licensed, certified, or registered; (2) in good standing with either the Minnesota Department of Human Services or their Tribe; (3) open, operating and serving children during the funding period; and (4) serve a minimum number of children during the funding period . Family child care providers, licensed centers, and certified centers are eligible to participate in this program. 100% of Compensation Support Payment funds must be used to increase compensation for all child care workers who regularly care for children in  centers licensed or certified by the state or Tribe. Family child care providers licensed by the state or a Tribe have more flexibility in terms of how they use their funds; for example, they may use funds to pay for personnel costs (e.g., salaries, bonuses, or benefits), rent or mortgage payments, equipment or supplies, or professional learning expenses. Grant amounts are determined by the number of full-time-equivalent (FTE) staff who regularly care for children. Providers participating in the Child Care Assistance Program, receiving Early Learning Scholarship payments,  or located in a Child Care Access Equity Area are eligible for a 10% bonus on top of the original grant. Learn More: Great Start Compensation Payment Program Sources: Minnesota Department of Human Services. (2023). Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program. Minnesota Department of Human Services. (2023). Great Start Compensation Support Transition Grants Frequently Asked Questions.

In 2021, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed into law bipartisan legislation creating the Great Start for All Minnesota Children Task Force. The task force was charged with developing a state plan to ensure all families "have access to affordable, high-quality early care and education that enriches, nurtures, and supports children and their families." The task force was comprised of 11 voting members appointed by the Governor, 4 voting members appointed by the legislature, and 22 non-voting members appointed by other individuals; membership included state agency representatives, child care providers, elected officials, and others. The task force completed their work and delivered a final report recommending various state actions for improving the accessibility, affordability, and quality of early education and care across the state. Learn More: Great start for All Minnesota Children Task Force Sources: Minnesota Office of Management and Budget. (n.d.). Great Start for All Minnesota Children Task Force. Great Start for All Minnesota Children Task Force. (2023, February 1). Final Report.

In 2017, Hawaii converted its early childhood advisory council to an advisory board, the Early Learning Board (ELB). ELB was established through Act 202 and is tasked with formulating statewide policy relating to early learning. It directs the Executive Office on Early Learning (EOEL) on how to best meet the developmental and educational needs of children; provides recommendations to EOEL on improving the quality, availability, and coordination of early learning programs; promotes collaboration across agencies and stakeholders serving young children; and appoints the EOEL director and evaluating the director on an annual basis. The ELB advises the governor and makes recommendations to the legislature. Learn more: State of Hawaii Executive Office on Early Learning Sources:Education Commission of the States, 2021Hawaii Executive Office on Early Learning (2023). 2023 Legislative UpdatesEducation Commission of the States, (2018). Education Governance Dashboard 

Passed in 2021, Washington state’s Fair Start for Kids Act invested $1.1 billion to enhance the child care system by making care more affordable, expanding access, and increasing resources to support providers. As part of this legislation, eligible employees of licensed child care facilities can receive Cascade Care Silver health coverage with no monthly premiums through Washington Healthplanfinder. This opportunity is available for employees who:

• Work in a licensed child care facility, including family home, center-based, school-age, and outdoor nature-based child care programs
• Meet household income and other program requirements (employees whose annual income falls below 300% of the Federal poverty level and who do not qualify for Washington Apple Health, the state’s Medicaid plan)
• Enroll in a Cascade Care Silver health plan through Washington Healthplanfinder.

This program is slated to end on December 31, 2023. Learn More: Washington Premium Assistance Program for Employees of Child Care Facilities Sources:Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families. (2022). Child Care Workers May Be Eligible for $0 Health Care Premiums. Start Early. (n.d.). Summary of the Fair Start for Kids Act Law.

In 2022, the Washington DC City Council established the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund, which seeks to create pay parity between community-based early educators and their counterparts in the DC Public Schools. Pay Equity Fund dollars that are not going to wage increases are being used to fund free or reduced health insurance premiums for early educators working in the District. If licensed child development facilities opt to participate in the HealthCare4ChildCare program, their employees will qualify for free health insurance premiums for themselves and their dependents, as long as they are DC residents. Employees who are not DC residents will be able to take advantage of reduced premiums. Learn more: D.C. Continues to Make Strides Towards Compensation Equity Sources:Hsu, N. (2022). D.C. Continues to Make Strides Towards Compensation Equity. New America.DC Health Link. (n.d.). HealthCare4ChildCare Through DC Health Link.

Since 2018, Iowa State University of Science and Technology has hosted I2D2 (Iowa's Integrated Data System for Decision Making), the state's early childhood integrated data system, in partnership with multiple state agencies (e.g., Department of Public Health, Department of Human Services, Department of Education, Department of Human Rights, Department of Workforce Development, Department of Economic Development, Department of Management, and Head Start Grantees). The system functions as a multifaceted data transfer platform, data management platform, and data analytics platform. It links program and deidentified individual data related to children and families, including vital records (birth and death records); DAISEY home visiting records; Child Care Assistance records; public education PK-12 enrollment, attendance, achievement, and special education records; and Head Start enrollment. Approved users can access the data for specific projects under a memorandum of agreement. I2D2 also offers a data visualization dashboard, IA Data Drive” for public use. I2D2 was authorized under Iowa Code Chapter 256i, which instituted the Iowa Early Childhood Initiative. It is funded through individual grants and contracts that support specific projects. The system has received grants from Iowa State University, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy, and other funders. State funding and funding from the Preschool Development Grant (2019) have also supported the effort. Learn more/SOurce: Iowa's Integrated Data System for Decision Making (I2D2)

In May 2024, the Illinois House of Representatives approved Senate Bill 1, which authorized the creation of the Illinois Department of Early Childhood. Spearheaded by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, the new agency will aim to improve access to early education and care services by better aligning and coordinating programs, data, and policies. The Department of Early Childhood will bring together programs that previously operated under the Illinois State Board of Education, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Children and Family Services. It will oversee preschool funding, regulations, and program licensing, as well as early intervention, home visiting, and child care financial assistance programs. Housing everything under one agency, advocates say, will support efficiency and transparency, increase savings, and eliminate duplicative services that confuse providers and families. Although the Department of Early Childhood came into existence on July 1, 2024, it will not be fully functional until July 1, 2026. To make a smooth administrative transition without an interruption in services, Governor Pritzker formed a task force  to develop a plan for the new agency.  learn more: illinois department of early childhood Sources: Start Early. (2024). Start Early Statement on Illinois Department of Early Childhood. Vinicky, A. (2024). Bill Creating New State Agency Focused on Early Childhood Programs Headed to Pritzker’s Desk. WTTW Chicago. Smylie, S. (2024). Bill creating new state Department of Early Childhood clears key Illinois House committee. Chalkbeat Chicago. Vevea, B. (2023). Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announces new agency to oversee early childhood. Chalkbeat Chicago.

In FY 2023, Governor J.B. Pritzker allocated $12 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to pilot an apprenticeship program for early childhood educators. The program, administered by the Illinois Department of Health and Human Services Division of Early Childhood, partners with four early learning programs and six institutions of higher education. It combines classroom learning at two- and four-year colleges, on-the-job training in early learning programs, and mentorship with seasoned providers. The program aims to keep talented early childhood educators in the workforce while they acquire a credential, license, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree. The program supports sites that  sponsor apprentices with wage supplement contracts that allocate funding to increase staff compensation. The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) serves as the apprenticeship intermediary, coordinating the pilot program across employers and institutions of higher education. The pilot program will run until 2025 and culminate with recommendations to the state for expansion and sustainability. LEARN MORE: ILLINOIS EARLY CHILDHOOD APPRENTICESHIP Sources: Illinois Department of Human Services. (n.d.). Illinois Early Childhood Apprenticeship Pilot. Illinois Office of Management and Budget. (2023). Illinois Early Childhood Educator Apprenticeship Pilot.

Since 2006, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) have coordinated with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to host the Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map (IECAM). The Early Childhood Asset Map is a data visualization tool that provides demographic and program data on early childhood programs (e.g., licensed settings, Preschool For All, Head Start, and more), health factors, socioeconomic factors, and geographic regions related to services for children from birth to five. The tool is for public use and has begun to support the state’s data integration initiatives. IECAM was developed after the state’s Early Learning Council called for a web-based tool to support decision making. The IECAM is funded through the Illinois State Board of Education and Illinois Department of Human Services. Learn more: Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map (IECAM) Other sources:Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map (2023), EC Learning IL

Created in 2009, the Illinois State Board of Education’s Longitudinal Data System is a P-20 longitudinal data system that includes data on state-funded pre-K, special education early childhood programs, and infant and toddler programs. The system functions as a warehouse and linking mechanism across state agencies, including the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development. The system links program and individual data ranging from early childhood education and care to K-12/higher education to the workforce. The individual data is deidentified with a unique identifier. Data is available internally for agencies and authorized users. The Illinois Longitudinal Data System was created through Public Act 096-0107. The system has been funded by a federal Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems Grant and the Statewide Longitudinal Data System Recovery Act Grant, which authorized the expansion of infant and toddler data collection. Learn More: Illinois Longitudinal Data System Project Sources:State of Illinois (2014). Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge 2014 Annual Performance ReportEducation Commission of the States. (2021). Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems: Illinois.REL Blog (2018). Building a coordinated data system to support early childhood education

In 2006, Illinois launched its Preschool for All (PFA) Program, which was expanded in 2017 using dollars from a federal Preschool Development Grant. The program, which operates in nearly every county in the state, is a targeted one, serving children who are considered at-risk based on both economic and developmental factors. As of 2022, Illinois served 31% of 4-year-olds and 21% of 3-year-olds. Learn More: Illinois Preschool for All Sources:Illinois State Board of Education. (n.d.). Preschool for All (PFA).Illinois State Board of Education. (2023). Illinois Preschool for All Expansion Program Eligibility and Weighted Priority Enrollment Form.National Institute for Early Education Research. (2022). Illinois

North Carolina’s Infant-Toddler Educator AWARD$ Plus program provides supplemental pay to infant-toddler educators based on their education level and commitment to their early education program. This program is designed to retain and support the professional development of early childhood educators; in turn, this creates a more stable workforce with the skills needed to support young children's healthy learning and development. It also responds to inequities within the early education system, where infant and toddler teachers typically receive less financial and professional support than their colleagues who work with older children. Bonuses range from $600 to $4,000 per educator per year, with an average payment of $2,576. Amounts increase as educators obtain more formal education, and educators must remain in their early education program for at least six months to qualify for an award. In FY22, Infant-Toddler Educator AWARD$ Plus North Carolina provided supplements to 1,337 educators; turnover among recipients was 16%, which is lower than the estimated 26-40% turnover rate among educators in licensed child care programs nationwide. Learn More: Infant-Toddler Educator AWARD$ Plus Source: Child Care Services Association. (n.d.). Infant-Toddler Educator AWARD$ Plus.