Investing in Early Educators: How Missouri is Creating Workforce Success

By Beth Ann Lang

The future of our workforce is directly affected by the presence (or absence) of strong, well-trained early childhood educators. The Early Childhood Education (ECE) workforce currently faces low wages, limited benefits, and minimal education requirements. These challenges lead to high turnover and instability, affecting not only educators but also families, businesses and the economy.

Missouri’s Leadership in Strengthening the ECE Workforce

Missouri is addressing these challenges with innovative programs such as:

• TEACH Early Childhood Missouri Scholarship: Provides debt-free access to higher education for ECE professionals.
• Child Care WAGE$: Offers salary supplements based on education and retention, improving stability and rewarding advancement.

Now is the Time to Invest in Our Future

Supporting early childhood educators means investing in our future workforce and economic prosperity. For 25 years, TEACH Early Childhood Missouri Scholarships have proven effective in increasing education, compensation, and retention among Missouri’s early educators.

A Model for the Nation: A Call to Action in Missouri

TEACH Missouri prioritizes three pillars – education, compensation, and retention of early educators – and it’s time for our state to build on this model. The future depends on creating a strong foundation supported by a robust ECE workforce. Strong children start with strong early educators. The time to invest in our future is now!

Beth Ann Lang is Deputy CEO of Child Care Aware of Missouri (CCAMO), a statewide nonprofit founded in 1999 that focuses on a comprehensive early childhood education experience through impactful programs and partnerships. She has more than 30 years of early childhood education experience and was recently appointed to the TEACH Early Childhood National Advisory Committee. Beth Ann was newly invited to join the Council for Professional Recognition’s State Partners Roundtable, where she represents Missouri at the national level.