This policy highlight from the National ECE Workforce Center describes three key takeaways from our review of states’ 2025-2027 Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) plans. Every few years, states outline a plan for how they will use CCDF funds to offer services to families through subsidized child care, oversee the regulation of child care providers, and implement quality improvement activities. These plans provide a glimpse into the issues and topics states are focusing on in the next grant phase. This policy highlight summarizes how states—and how many states—are supporting early educators’ compensation through wage increases, salary scales, and access to benefits.
Three Things We Learned From AI Analysis of CCDF Plans
Related Key Topics
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