Wisconsin
Overview Link copied!
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| Strategy Name | Strategy Type(s) | Year | Funding Amount | Funding Source | Features at a Glance | |
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Partner Up! Grant Program
First implemented in June 2022, the Partner Up! grant program provides funding to help businesses purchase child care slots on behalf of their employees. Child care programs can apply as businesses to help cover the cost of child care expenses for their own staff. This program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Act, the Preschool Development Grant, and Quality Jobs, Equity, Strategy and Training.
Learn more: Partner up! Grant Program
Sources:Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. (n.d.). Partner Up! Grant Program.
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2022 |
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Helps child care businesses cover the cost of child care for employees
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First implemented in June 2022, the Partner Up! grant program provides funding to help businesses purchase child care slots on behalf of their employees. Child care programs can apply as businesses to help cover the cost of child care expenses for their own staff. This program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Act, the Preschool Development Grant, and Quality Jobs, Equity, Strategy and Training.
Learn more: Partner up! Grant Program
Sources:Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. (n.d.). Partner Up! Grant Program.
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REWARD Wisconsin
Wisconsin's REWARD program provides supplemental pay to early childhood educators based on their education level and commitment to their early education program. REWARD 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. Supplements range from $500 to $1,900 per educator per year, with an average payment of $615. 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, REWARD provided supplements to 11,381 early educators; turnover among recipients was 1%, which is much lower than the estimated 26-40% turnover rate among educators in licensed child care programs nationwide.
Learn More: REWARD Program
Sources:Wisconsin AEYC. (n.d.). REWARD Wisconsin.
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CCDBG COVID Relief Allocations – CARES, CRRSE, ARPA (CCDF & Stabilization)
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$500 to $1,900 per educator per year, with an average supplement of $615
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Wisconsin's REWARD program provides supplemental pay to early childhood educators based on their education level and commitment to their early education program. REWARD 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. Supplements range from $500 to $1,900 per educator per year, with an average payment of $615. 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, REWARD provided supplements to 11,381 early educators; turnover among recipients was 1%, which is much lower than the estimated 26-40% turnover rate among educators in licensed child care programs nationwide.
Learn More: REWARD Program
Sources:Wisconsin AEYC. (n.d.). REWARD Wisconsin.
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Wisconsin Early Childhood Integrated Data System
The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, Department of Health Services (DHS) and Department of Public Instruction (DPI) have hosted the state’s Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS) since 2017. The system fosters data-sharing agreements and a data-sharing process for the agencies' demographic, program, and individual data on early childhood services, including child care subsidies, child support, birth records, early health records, maternal health, attendance, and enrollment. The system uses a matching system and encrypted file manager tool to upload deidentified data to an ECIDS portal for researchers’ and agencies’ projects and analyses. The Wisconsin ECIDS compliments the Department of Public Instruction’s WiseDash system, which contains deidentified individual data available by request.
The system is funded through a federal Race to the Top–Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant.
Learn more: Wisconsin's Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS)
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2017 | $15,790,077 in Phase 1 |
Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant
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Early Childhood Integrated Data System
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The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, Department of Health Services (DHS) and Department of Public Instruction (DPI) have hosted the state’s Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS) since 2017. The system fosters data-sharing agreements and a data-sharing process for the agencies' demographic, program, and individual data on early childhood services, including child care subsidies, child support, birth records, early health records, maternal health, attendance, and enrollment. The system uses a matching system and encrypted file manager tool to upload deidentified data to an ECIDS portal for researchers’ and agencies’ projects and analyses. The Wisconsin ECIDS compliments the Department of Public Instruction’s WiseDash system, which contains deidentified individual data available by request.
The system is funded through a federal Race to the Top–Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant.
Learn more: Wisconsin's Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS)
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Wisconsin Four-Year-Old Kindergarten
In 1898, the Wisconsin State Legislature voted to permit schools to establish 4-year-old kindergarten (4K) alongside 5-year-old kindergarten (5K). 4K is now available to all children who turn 4 years old on or before September 1st of the school year. The program is universal, free, and voluntary for families, and it is offered through a mixed-delivery system. 4K’s delivery model is varied and includes half-day and full-day programs, offered across 97% of the state’s districts and in partner child care, Head Start, and private programs. Wisconsin received a Preschool Development Grant Birth to Five Renewal in 2021, which was used to conduct a needs assessment and development of a strategic plan to further expand access to public programs.
Learn More: Wisconsin Four-Year-Old Kindergarten
Sources:Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (n.d.). History of 4K and 5K in Wisconsin.National Institute for Early Education Research. (2023). Wisconsin.National Institute for Early Education Research. (2021). Wisconsin.
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1898 | $167 million in FY22 |
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Percentage of 4-year-olds enrolled (as of 2022): 61%
Percentage of 3-year-olds enrolled (as of 2022): 1%
Minimum hours of operation: 2.5 hrs/day
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In 1898, the Wisconsin State Legislature voted to permit schools to establish 4-year-old kindergarten (4K) alongside 5-year-old kindergarten (5K). 4K is now available to all children who turn 4 years old on or before September 1st of the school year. The program is universal, free, and voluntary for families, and it is offered through a mixed-delivery system. 4K’s delivery model is varied and includes half-day and full-day programs, offered across 97% of the state’s districts and in partner child care, Head Start, and private programs. Wisconsin received a Preschool Development Grant Birth to Five Renewal in 2021, which was used to conduct a needs assessment and development of a strategic plan to further expand access to public programs.
Learn More: Wisconsin Four-Year-Old Kindergarten
Sources:Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (n.d.). History of 4K and 5K in Wisconsin.National Institute for Early Education Research. (2023). Wisconsin.National Institute for Early Education Research. (2021). Wisconsin.
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Demographics Link copied!
Demographics Data Scorecard
State population
5,892,539 Source U.S. Census, 2022
Rural %
32.9% Source U.S. Census, 2020
Urban %
67.1% Source U.S. Census, 2020
Number of children 0–4
320,245 Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Poverty levels - children 0—8 below 200% poverty
35% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Median family income among households with children
$87,000.00 Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Unemployment rate
2.9% Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2024
Unemployment rate of parents
4% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Children under age 6 with all available parents in the labor force
73% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Children living in households with a high housing cost burden
21% 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 (9%)
- Hispanic or Latino (13%)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander (.5%)
- Two or more races (4%)
- White, not Hispanic or Latino (65%)
| 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
Public Pre-K Program Name Program Length: Half-day; 437 hours/school year; minimum 2.5 hours/day
Four-Year-Old Kindergarten Program (4K) Source: NIEER 2023
Universal or Targeted Pre-K Policy State Spending Per Child (Pre-K): $3,831
Universal Pre-K Policy (4-Year-Olds) Source: NIEER 2023
Early Childhood Education Programs (3-Year-Olds) Source: NIEER 2023
Programs
- Percent of 3-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Public Early Childhood Education Programs (0.1%)
- 3-Year-old Children Enrolled in Head Start (10%)
- Other/None (89.9%)
Early Childhood Education Programs (4-Year-Olds) Source: NIEER 2023
Programs
- Percent of 4-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Public Early Childhood Education Programs (63%)
- 4-Year-old Children Enrolled in Head Start (6%)
- Other/None (31%)
Workforce Link copied!
2017–2019 Median Hourly Wages Source CSCCE 2018, 2020
Role
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Child Care Workers
$10.49 (2017, adjusted)
$10.66 (2019) -
Preschool Teachers
$12.18 (2017, adjusted)
$12.23 (2019) -
Preschool or Child Care Center Directors
$20.43 (2017, adjusted)
$21.64 (2019)
Funding Sources Link copied!
Federal and State Early Childhood Education Funding (in Millions) Source First Five Years Fund, 2024
Funding Source
- Head Start and Early Head Start Funding ($169.7)
- CCDBG & Mandatory Funds ($183.3)
- CCDBG State Match ($23.4)
- State-Funded Pre-K ($172)
- MIECHV ($9.9)
- IDEA Part C ($8.5)
- IDEA Part B, Sec 619 ($10.4)
- TANF Early Learning and Care ($103.9)