We work in partnership with the early care and education workforce.
The National Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Center is a joint research and technical assistance center that equips state and local leaders to drive change in ECE workforce policy. This center uses a research-to-practice model to strengthen compensation and career advancement for early educators.
Featured Resources
Our collection of original and curated resources offers the latest research, practical guidance, and examples of innovation to inform the advancement of the ECE workforce.
Introduction to the ECE Workforce Systems Change Framework
This brief introduces the National ECE Workforce Center’s vision for strengthening the ECE workforce. It presents the ECE Workforce Systems Change Framework—a tool designed to support state and local leaders in driving meaningful change.
Published 2025
Promising Career Pathway Approaches: Registered Apprenticeships
This National ECE Workforce Center research-to-practice brief describes key considerations for system leaders and researchers interested in developing, strengthening, and/or studying registered apprenticeships for current educators and those entering the workforce.
Published 2025
Five Strategies for Supporting ECE Educators Through Career Advancement
This research-to-practice brief, produced by the National ECE Workforce Center, outlines key implementation strategies for supporting the current ECE workforce in advancing their educational qualifications.
Published 2025
Key Topics
The foundation of our work is based on five key policy areas, or key topics, sourced from the Early Childhood Workforce Index created by the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE). Knowing that compensation and career advancement represent the most pressing needs of the field, we are currently prioritizing our work on these areas.
Compensation & Financial Relief Strategies
Investments and initiatives to ensure compensation equal to that of a skilled professional, accounting for an educator’s qualifications, expertise, and experience
Financial Resources
Public and private investment in the ECE workforce and broader ECE system
Qualifications & Educational Support
Policies and pathways that strengthen career pathways and access to degrees and credentials and provide consistent standards for educators to achieve higher education
Work Environment Standards
Standards for providing safe, supportive work environments for early educators
Workforce Data
State-level collection of data on the size, characteristics, and working conditions of the ECE workforce
Get Involved
Integrated Research & Policy Fellowship Program
The Integrated Research & Policy Fellowship is a 12-month paid program designed to support the leadership development of ECE professionals. The program provides an opportunity for emerging leaders to build their expertise on the ECE workforce while gaining skills to effectively bridge research and policy/practice.
Each cohort includes two policy fellows and two research fellows who participate in fellowship activities together focused on understanding the history underlying the current ECE system, developing communication and research translation skills, gaining insights into the policy process, and more.
Early Educator Advisory Board
We are developing an Early Educator Advisory Board to ensure that the work of the National ECE Workforce Center is meaningful and impactful to the workforce.
Serving as thought partners and advisors, this board will contribute to activities across research and technical assistance and will be composed of teachers representing settings across the sector, including home-based programs, Head Start, community-based centers, tribal child care programs, and state preschools. Board members will receive honorariums.
Please stay tuned for more information.
Meet our Fellows
