It is no secret that early childhood educators face challenges in Wisconsin and beyond. Many are highly educated yet poorly compensated, directors struggle to hire and retain enough staff to keep their doors open, and some educators contemplate leaving the field altogether. While there have been studies about the early care and education workforce in Wisconsin, they have not generally focused on the unique lived experiences of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) educators.
The Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) sought to change that by recruiting Dr. Toshiba Adams, a professor and former early childhood educator who also serves as the Vice President of WECA’s Board of Directors, to conduct a qualitative study and support advocacy work that is driven by BIPOC educators themselves.
Nearly one-third of early childhood educators in Wisconsin identify as BIPOC. In Milwaukee, the state’s largest city, that number climbs to over 60 percent. Ruth Schmidt, Executive Director at WECA, believes understanding the perspectives of these educators is vital.
“Our state is rooted in the past,” she says. “In order to move forward, we need to lead with the voices of those impacted the most. We need to establish clear methods for evaluating proposed changes, particularly regarding their impact on our BIPOC educators. Transformational change must be driven by the ECE field itself, they know what is needed. It’s essential for decision-makers to listen and respond accordingly.”
To begin filling these gaps in knowledge, the research team led by Adams held focus groups and conducted multiple rounds of interviews with 45 BIPOC early childhood professionals who serve in various roles.
The result was a report called Advancing Equity in Wisconsin’s Early Education Workforce. The study’s key findings include:
- Members of the early care and education workforce are living paycheck to paycheck and struggle to access equitable compensation and benefits. Many of the BIPOC educators who participated in the study can barely afford to buy groceries or pay their rent. These conditions take a toll on their mental health, impact how they interact with the children in care, and threaten their ability to provide for their own families.
- Working in a field that encourages credentials and degrees while not guaranteeing a living wage, strains the workforce. Prior studies have found that even when levels of education are equal, BIPOC early childhood educators often earn less per hourthan their white counterparts. They also experience unique barriers to higher education programs. As a result, some educators who participated in the study admitted that they no longer want to pursue higher education in the field.
- BIPOC educators, especially program owners and directors, expressed concerns about their interactions with licensing agents at the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF). They felt these interactions are often rooted in biases that can further marginalize educators of color. Participants in the study recalled feeling disrespected and intimidated by licensing agents who they felt made assumptions about who they were based on their racial identity. Some also noted marked differences between how licensing agents treated staff at child programs in predominately white, suburban areas. They perceived those interactions as friendly and lenient, unlike the cold and scrutinizing behavior they often encounter.
- A majority of BIPOC educators who participated in the study believe YoungStar, Wisconsin’s child care quality rating and improvement system, has criteria that are incredibly difficult to meet. They expressed that being overworked and underpaid makes it much harder to invest the time, energy, and financial resources necessary to comply with YoungStar’s environmental and educational guidelines without additional support. In turn, quality rating scores remain stagnant and programs are often stuck at the three-star level.
The Advancing Equity study collected narratives from BIPOC educators and proposed a set of policy recommendations based on its findings, including significant public investment, shared governance in policymaking, and more diversity within regulatory agencies. It was also important that this equity-driven work continue even after the study concluded.
“We can’t stop at just listening to these voices,” Adams says. “We must now utilize their voices to evoke some type of change that is going to be equity-forward.”
The next phase of this work involves working with the Advancing Equity Steering Committee, a group of eight BIPOC educators who participated in the study, to advocate for policy solutions. The group has spoken at conferences, met with representatives from various entities and organizations across the state, and spoke at a meeting of WECA’s Board of Directors.
The Department of Children and Families has been especially responsive to the report’s findings and is making a concerted effort to improve its policies. The committee recently had its second meeting with DCF representatives to share recommendations for YoungStar, and in future meetings they plan to issue recommendations about licensing rules and regulations. The Advancing Equity Steering Committee will become even more deeply engaged in policy and advocacy work as Wisconsin moves closer to a new legislative and budget session. Adams hopes those conversations will help policymakers understand a key reality. “Early educators are foundational to the economic stability and viability of our city, our state, our country… When we do well by them, we’re uplifting our whole nation.”
WECA and Adams have now begun similar work specifically with Hmong and tribal caregivers.
Understanding the lived experiences of educators is critical to naming systemic problems and identifying solutions that actually address those challenges. In Wisconsin, advocacy efforts are being informed by and driven by educators themselves.
