early childhood workforce
Coalition Goal: Ensure Southern Illinois has sufficient high-quality candidates to meet staffing needs in the early childhood education and care sector
Even before COVID-19, the region was seeing a shortage of qualified early childhood teachers. low Wages, lack of benefits, and high stress resulted in increased turnover rates. The number of professionals leaving the field for other jobs or professional opportunities increased. At the same time, higher education institutions were seeing a decrease in enrollment, resulting in a slowdown in the pipeline that delivered new teachers into the early childhood education and care system. A 2019 staffing survey showed that as many as 32% of teachers in licensed childcare centers leave their job every two years.
Unfortunately, the pandemic only exacerbated the problem to a crisis level. Programs, unable to find qualified staff have been forced to close classrooms and reduce enrollment capacity. In some cases, where a program was already fragile, in its operation, the staffing crisis was the final straw, causing them to close their doors permanently.
The state has responded by investing in several strategies and initiatives, all designed to mitigate the shortage. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) and the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) launched the ECACE Scholarship Program to build a stronger workforce in the state. Funds were provided to support enrollment in an online CDA program so staff currently working in programs could achieve their CDA credential and become teacher qualified. While both programs are yielding positive results, even more must be done to ensure a qualified
Having identified system level strategies designed to address this urgent need, the Coalition's Workforce Action Team members
will be working together for the next three years to help alleviate the crisis.
Unfortunately, the pandemic only exacerbated the problem to a crisis level. Programs, unable to find qualified staff have been forced to close classrooms and reduce enrollment capacity. In some cases, where a program was already fragile, in its operation, the staffing crisis was the final straw, causing them to close their doors permanently.
The state has responded by investing in several strategies and initiatives, all designed to mitigate the shortage. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) and the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) launched the ECACE Scholarship Program to build a stronger workforce in the state. Funds were provided to support enrollment in an online CDA program so staff currently working in programs could achieve their CDA credential and become teacher qualified. While both programs are yielding positive results, even more must be done to ensure a qualified
Having identified system level strategies designed to address this urgent need, the Coalition's Workforce Action Team members
will be working together for the next three years to help alleviate the crisis.