Early educators play a vital role in shaping the future, building the strong foundation every child needs to thrive in school, in work, and in life. The work of early educators today directly shapes the future workforce, strengthens families, and builds more resilient communities.
Child Care Associates (CCA), in partnership with the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, is releasing the results of the North Texas Child Care Workforce Study at CCA’s annual Early Childhood Investors’ Luncheon, where more than 450 community, business and civic leaders are gathering to learn about the support needed to sustain child care in our region now and in the decade ahead.
The study examines the state of the child care workforce across three North Texas workforce board areas including Tarrant County, North Central Texas, and Greater Dallas. The study highlights how the skills of early educators are vital to both child development and the strength of the broader North Texas economy.
“High-quality data are essential for understanding the realities of the early child care workforce and identifying sustainable solutions,” said Dr. Cynthia Osborne, Executive Director of the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center. “Through our analysis for Child Care Associates, we were able to provide a clearer picture of the region’s child care supply and workforce needs—insights that can guide strategies to strengthen the system and better support children, families, and educators across North Texas.”
“Innovative solutions start with a clear understanding of the problem and strong data. This study gives North Texas a fresh perspective on the challenges and opportunities shaping child care access today,” comments Kara Waddell, CCA’s President and CEO. She adds, “One of the most critical issues is the shortage of early educators – because without them there is no child care. Our early educators not only spark a young child’s natural sense of wonder and curiosity but also empower parents to participate in the workforce. Their work fuels every other industry impacting our region’s economic growth.”
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker is serving as the host of the annual business luncheon. This year she personally invited leadership from all institutions of higher education from Tarrant County, Dallas and across North Texas.
“Early educators form the foundation of the workforce pipeline, preparing the next generation for lifelong success. This study firms up our understanding. We need higher education at the table as well as business leaders and organizations like Child Care Associates. We need strategies not just in Fort Worth, but across North Texas to ensure our youngest Texans benefit from quality educators, and to ensure employers and working parents have the support the child care sector.”
The North Texas Child Care Workforce Study addresses three key issues shaping the future of early education and workforce development, including:
• The current need for 10,000 additional child care educators across North Texas.
• 50% of early educators in center-based programs have only a high school diploma; expanding education and training pathways is essential to building a skilled and sustainable early educator workforce.
• 7 of 10 of child care centers lose at least 20% of their teachers each year. Retention of early educators directly impacts the consistency and quality of care children receive.
The study’s findings and an Executive Summary will be released publicly following the luncheon and made available on www.childcareassociates.org/center-for-the-early-educator.
