In 2019, Virginia created the Teacher Recognition Program (now RecognizeB5) to promote the retention and financial well-being of early educators across the state. Through this program, teachers working at least 30 hours per week in public-school or community-based settings serving children birth to age five could receive a payment of $1,500 if they remained in their program for at least 8 months. Educators in all Virginia counties were eligible to participate in the program, but in the state’s most populous county, Fairfax County, there were not enough funds to provide a payment to all teachers. This created an opportunity for researchers from the University of Virginia to study the impact of a bonus program on teacher retention and well-being. Using a randomized controlled trial, researchers learned that the bonuses did in fact reduce turnover and increase financial well-being among participating educators. The bonuses cut turnover among educators in child care centers in half, from 30% to 15%, and nearly all educators (98%) reported that the funds helped them meet personal or family needs. The program has since expanded; it provided educators with $3,000 bonuses during the 2022–23 school year.
RecognizeB5 was supported through a combination of over $40 million per year in federal and state funding, the primary source being federal COVID recovery dollars. Those funds ended in September 2024. The General Assembly invested $20 million to keep the program running in FY2025, but no state or federal dollars were dedicated to RecognizeB5 in FY2026. Thus there will be no incentive for educators in 2025–26.
Sources:
Virginia Early Childhood Foundation. (2022). RecognizeB5 Overview.
Virginia Department of Education. (n.d.). RecognizeB5: VQB5 Educator Incentive.
Virginia Department of Education. (2025). Draft Proposal for the 2025-2026 Unified Virginia Quality Birth to Five System (VQB5) Guidelines.
Connections to Key Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) Findings:
The early education workforce is the foundation upon which all daily work and any expansion and quality improvement efforts rest. Research suggests that states and cities should invest in the workforce across all early education setting types, focusing on enhancing educators’ professional learning, compensation, and workplace conditions.
Findings from the Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) show:
- Early educators play a critical role in supporting the well-being of young children and families across setting types.
- Yet their pay, benefits, and other professional supports are often inadequate in light of the job demands and their cost of living.