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We are thrilled to share our 2025 Progress Report!
This report captures the key accomplishments, challenges, and growth we’ve experienced over the past year as we work toward transforming the early childhood education workforce with our partners. As we reflect on our progress, we remain committed to advancing equitable opportunities for early educators and look forward to the continued journey ahead. LEARN MORE
Professional educators.
Professional compensation.
Prepared children.
About Us
The Early Educator Investment Collaborative’s goal is to accelerate progress in the early childhood education profession and ensure early educators have the supports they need to be well-prepared and appropriately compensated. Learn more.
What’s New
Check out our latest grantee updates, webinars, and news below.
NEWSLETTER
April 7, 2026
In the April newsletter, we share reflections from Executive Director Dr. Ola J. Friday on a decade of progress since Transforming the Workforce, alongside highlights from recent convenings and our upcoming plenary session at the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® National Center Conference. This issue also features insights from the In Our Hands narrative change campaign, a look at leadership wellness in the field, and a case study on Minnesota’s approach to sustaining compensation initiatives.
WEBINAR
March 25, 2026
In March we hosted a webinar in partnership with Community Change to reflect on the In Our Hands Narrative Change Campaign and what we’re learning about shifting public understanding of the early childhood workforce. Partners reflected on what it takes to strengthen narrative strategies in practice—from testing messages and learning what resonates, to supporting individuals in sharing their personal stories and connecting their experiences to a broader movement.
Check out the webinars and catch up with the campaign here.
RESOURCE
February 4, 2026
As part of the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE)’s collaborative work on the Compensation Capacity-Building Community of Practice (CoP), we are excited to continue highlighting state-level progress in ECE compensation. This case study explores how Minnesota has successfully sustained its workforce initiatives through cross-agency partnerships and persistent advocacy. This progress offers a powerful roadmap for maintaining momentum in a shifting fiscal landscape even after the sunset of federal pandemic relief funds.
Access the Minnesota Case Study here.
WEBINAR
January 15, 2026
Last fall, The Collaborative commissioned reflection papers and hosted webinars exploring the past decade in the early childhood education workforce since the release of Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation and its companion piece, Transforming the Financing of Early Care and Education.
We are excited to announce that the webinar recordings and full resource library are now available.
We’d love to hear your thoughts. Join the conversation on our LinkedIn.
WEBINAR
January 29, 2026
Led by the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at UC Berkeley, the Compensation Capacity Community of Practice (CoP) supports the innovation and cross-agency coordination needed to turn compensation theory into reality.
In partnership with CSCCE, we recently hosted a webinar featuring members of the Community of Practice. As federal action stalls, states and communities are advancing bold strategies to stabilize the child care system through compensation reform—and this conversation highlighted how.
The session included perspectives from leaders in Colorado, Louisiana, and Minnesota, who shared how they are implementing compensation approaches to strengthen their workforce and support long-term stability across diverse contexts.
Watch the recording and explore the recent resources from the CoP here.
RESOURCE
December 15, 2025
To mark the 10-year anniversary of landmark research papers Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation and Transforming the Financing of Early Care and Education we’ve partnered with leading organizations to release a series of reflection papers examining progress, persistent challenges, and strategies to strengthen and diversify the early childhood education workforce.
The companion webinar series features prominent voices from across the field, exploring the enduring relevance of this work and advancing conversations on equity and systemic change.
Read the reflection papers and watch the webinar series here.
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