Governor Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS), in partnership with the Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children (RIAEYC), today announced the first round of 54 awardees for the Step Up to Child Care WAGE$® Program (WAGE$) pilot program. Step Up to WAGE$ provides education-based salary supplements to teachers, directors, and family childcare providers working with young children.
“Early educators across our state support our youngest learners’ development and readiness for school,” said Governor McKee. “However, their compensation often does not reflect the importance of their work. That’s why I am proud to have established the Pandemic Retention Bonus program as well as now the Step Up to Child Care WAGE$ pilot. Together, these programs are investing in early educators across the state and piloting strategies for how we can attract and retain early educators long-term. I congratulate these first awardees in this pilot program and thank them for their efforts and commitment to young children.”
Created by Child Care Services Association in North Carolina, the Child Care WAGE$ Program is an evidence-informed, outcome-driven initiative designed to increase the education and retention of the early care and education workforce through tiered supplemental bonuses based on educational attainment. Since the application opened in May 2023, Rhode Island’s Step Up to Child Care WAGE$ pilot program has received 587 applications. The first round of awardees includes 54 educators, representing educators from 44 center-based programs and 10 Family Child Care programs. The first round of awardees was determined based on a variety of factors including date of completion of the application and eligibility for the program. Future rounds of awardees will be announced in the coming months.
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