North Carolina
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| Strategy Name | Strategy Type(s) | Year | Funding Amount | Funding Source | Features at a Glance | |
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Child Care WAGE$ North Carolina
Child Care WAGE$ North Carolina provides supplemental pay to early childhood educators based on their education level and commitment to their early education program. WAGE$ is designed to retain early childhood educators and support their professional development; in turn, this creates a more stable workforce with the skills needed to support young children's healthy learning and development. Bonuses range from $450 to $6,250 per educator per year, with an average payment of $2,406. Amounts increase as educators obtain more formal education, and educators must remain in their early education program for at least six months to qualify for an award. In FY22, Child Care WAGE$ North Carolina provided supplements to 4,018 early educators; turnover among recipients was 14%, which is lower than the estimated 26-40% turnover rate among educators in licensed child care programs nationwide.
This program is part of the national Child Care WAGE$ Program and is available in many counties across the state.
The Child Care WAGE$ Program supports educators and directors in center-based, family child care, and other licensed child care programs serving children from birth to 5 years old.
Learn More: Child Care WAGE$®
Sources:Child Care Services Association. (n.d.). Child Care WAGE$®
Child Care Services Association. (n.d.). Child Care WAGE$ Results.
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State Dedicated Funding Stream
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$450 to $6,250 per educator per year, with an average supplement of $2,406
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Child Care WAGE$ North Carolina provides supplemental pay to early childhood educators based on their education level and commitment to their early education program. WAGE$ is designed to retain early childhood educators and support their professional development; in turn, this creates a more stable workforce with the skills needed to support young children's healthy learning and development. Bonuses range from $450 to $6,250 per educator per year, with an average payment of $2,406. Amounts increase as educators obtain more formal education, and educators must remain in their early education program for at least six months to qualify for an award. In FY22, Child Care WAGE$ North Carolina provided supplements to 4,018 early educators; turnover among recipients was 14%, which is lower than the estimated 26-40% turnover rate among educators in licensed child care programs nationwide.
This program is part of the national Child Care WAGE$ Program and is available in many counties across the state.
The Child Care WAGE$ Program supports educators and directors in center-based, family child care, and other licensed child care programs serving children from birth to 5 years old.
Learn More: Child Care WAGE$®
Sources:Child Care Services Association. (n.d.). Child Care WAGE$®
Child Care Services Association. (n.d.). Child Care WAGE$ Results.
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GetSet Transylvania
In 2018, community leaders in Transylvania County launched the GetSet Transylvania initiative in response to a 2015 report by the county’s Early Childhood Initiative, which found that more than three-quarters of the county’s five-year-olds were poorly prepared for kindergarten because of lack of access to high-quality, affordable early education services for children 0-5. GetSet Transylvania is a partnership among 22 county organizations that aims to improve kindergarten readiness. With the initiative, Transylvania County became the first rural community to partner with Sesame Workshop's Sesame Street in Communities, which offers resources to tackle issues such as childhood trauma and school readiness.
Sources:
The Family Place. (n.d.). GetSet Transylvania.
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2018 |
Partnership among 22 county organizations that aims to improve kindergarten readiness
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In 2018, community leaders in Transylvania County launched the GetSet Transylvania initiative in response to a 2015 report by the county’s Early Childhood Initiative, which found that more than three-quarters of the county’s five-year-olds were poorly prepared for kindergarten because of lack of access to high-quality, affordable early education services for children 0-5. GetSet Transylvania is a partnership among 22 county organizations that aims to improve kindergarten readiness. With the initiative, Transylvania County became the first rural community to partner with Sesame Workshop's Sesame Street in Communities, which offers resources to tackle issues such as childhood trauma and school readiness.
Sources:
The Family Place. (n.d.). GetSet Transylvania.
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Infant-Toddler Educator AWARD$ Plus
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.
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State Dedicated Funding Stream
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$600 to $4,000 per educator per year, with an average supplement of $2,576
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North Carolina’s Infant-Toddler Educator AWARD$ 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.
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North Carolina Early Childhood Integrated Data System
Created in 2012, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' North Carolina Early Childhood Integrated Data System (NC ECIDS) is a warehouse for data on education, health, and social services provided to children from birth to age 5. The warehouse, which began as a federated system (i.e., a data sharing system that does not consolidate all data in one warehouse), integrates demographic, program, and individual data on education, health, and social services to children birth to age 5 (e.g., data from NC Pre-K, Child Care Financial Assistance, NC Infant Toddler Program, Food and Nutrition Services, Child Protective Services, Work First Family Assistance, Head Start, Preschool Exceptional Children's Program, etc.). NC ECIDS provides individual data using unique identifiers to agencies or to qualified researchers or institutions that have requested data. It also provides public demographic and program data on the state’s Early Childhood Data Dashboards by program, fiscal year, gender, race, ethnicity, age, and county. NC ECIDS supports the state’s P-20 longitudinal data system.
The system has received federal funds from the Race to the Top–Early Learning Challenge Grant and Preschool Development Grant Birth Through 5 (PDG- B-5).
Learn More: North Carolina Early Childhood Integrated Data System
Sources:North Carolina Department of Information Technology and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2020). The Roadmap to a North Carolina Longitudinal Data System (NCLDS)North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. (2022). NCDHHS Launches New Integrated Early Childhood Data Dashboards.US Department of Health and Human Services, US Department of Education. (2016). The Integration of Early Childhood Data
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2012 |
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Early Childhood Integrated Data System
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Created in 2012, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' North Carolina Early Childhood Integrated Data System (NC ECIDS) is a warehouse for data on education, health, and social services provided to children from birth to age 5. The warehouse, which began as a federated system (i.e., a data sharing system that does not consolidate all data in one warehouse), integrates demographic, program, and individual data on education, health, and social services to children birth to age 5 (e.g., data from NC Pre-K, Child Care Financial Assistance, NC Infant Toddler Program, Food and Nutrition Services, Child Protective Services, Work First Family Assistance, Head Start, Preschool Exceptional Children's Program, etc.). NC ECIDS provides individual data using unique identifiers to agencies or to qualified researchers or institutions that have requested data. It also provides public demographic and program data on the state’s Early Childhood Data Dashboards by program, fiscal year, gender, race, ethnicity, age, and county. NC ECIDS supports the state’s P-20 longitudinal data system.
The system has received federal funds from the Race to the Top–Early Learning Challenge Grant and Preschool Development Grant Birth Through 5 (PDG- B-5).
Learn More: North Carolina Early Childhood Integrated Data System
Sources:North Carolina Department of Information Technology and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2020). The Roadmap to a North Carolina Longitudinal Data System (NCLDS)North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. (2022). NCDHHS Launches New Integrated Early Childhood Data Dashboards.US Department of Health and Human Services, US Department of Education. (2016). The Integration of Early Childhood Data
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North Carolina Education Lottery Fund
In 2006, the North Carolina State Lottery was established and signed into law by the state legislature. The lottery proceeds include an Education Lottery Fund (about 20% of the overall proceeds), a portion of which is dedicated to Pre-K. In fiscal year 2022, 7.4% of lottery revenue, or just under $69 million, was directed toward funding preschool in the state.
Learn More: North Carolina Education Lottery
Source: North Carolina Education Lottery. (2022). History of Lottery Fund Assignment.
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2006 | $69 million in 2022 |
State Dedicated Funding Stream
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In fiscal year 2022, the lottery contributed $69 million to support pre-K
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In 2006, the North Carolina State Lottery was established and signed into law by the state legislature. The lottery proceeds include an Education Lottery Fund (about 20% of the overall proceeds), a portion of which is dedicated to Pre-K. In fiscal year 2022, 7.4% of lottery revenue, or just under $69 million, was directed toward funding preschool in the state.
Learn More: North Carolina Education Lottery
Source: North Carolina Education Lottery. (2022). History of Lottery Fund Assignment.
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Demographics Link copied!
Demographics Data Scorecard
State population
10,698,973 Source U.S. Census, 2022
Rural %
33.3% Source U.S. Census, 2020
Urban %
66.7% Source U.S. Census, 2020
Number of children 0–4
589,463 Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Poverty levels - children 0—8 below 200% poverty
43% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Median family income among households with children
$77,500.00 Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Unemployment rate
3.6% Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2024
Unemployment rate of parents
3% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Children under age 6 with all available parents in the labor force
66% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Children living in households with a high housing cost burden
25% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Child Population by Race and Ethnicity Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Race and Ethnicity
- American Indian and Alaska Native (1%)
- Asian (4%)
- Black or African American (22%)
- Hispanic or Latino (17%)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander (.5%)
- Two or more races (5%)
- White, not Hispanic or Latino (51%)
| Year | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
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| Governor | D | D | D | D | D |
| State House | R | R | R | R | R |
| State Senate | R | R | R | R | R |
Early Childhood Education Programs Link copied!
Early Childhood Education Programs
| Program Name | Program Length* | Universal or Targeted Pre-K Policy | State Spending Per Child |
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| North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten (NC Pre-K) Program Source: NIEER 2023 | - | Targeted Pre-K Policy (4-Year-Olds) Source: NIEER 2023 | - |
3-Year-Olds Enrolled in Early Childhood Education Programs NIEER 2023
Programs
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Percent of 3-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Public Pre-K
0% (2021), 0% (2022), 0% (2023) - Percent of 3-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Head Start (%6)
- Percent of 3-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Special Education (%2)
- Percent of 3-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Other/None (%92)
4-Year-Olds Enrolled in Early Childhood Education Programs NIEER 2023
Programs
- Percent of 4-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Public Pre-K (%19)
- Percent of 4-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Head Start (%5)
- Percent of 4-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Special Education (%3)
- Percent of 4-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Other/None (%73)
Workforce Link copied!
2017–2019 Median Hourly Wages Source CSCCE 2018, 2020
Role
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Child Care Workers
$10.31 (2017, adjusted)
$10.62 (2019) -
Preschool Teachers
$13.01 (2017, adjusted)
$12.83 (2019) -
Preschool or Child Care Center Directors
$21.93 (2017, adjusted)
$20.88 (2019)
Funding Sources Link copied!
Federal and State Early Childhood Education Funding (in Millions) Source 2024
Funding Source
- Head Start and Early Head Start Funding ($254.6)
- CCDBG & Mandatory Funds ($398.8)
- CCDBG State Match ($34.5)
- State-Funded Pre-K ($171.4)
- MIECHV ($5.2)
- IDEA Part C ($15.7)
- IDEA Part B, Sec 619 ($12.5)
- TANF Early Learning and Care ($272.1)
- Preschool Development Grant Birth ($4)