DE SCR36

Direct the Delaware Department of Education and Delaware Early Childhood Council to create a state target compensation scale and professional career pathway for early childhood educators working with children ages birth through five years.

Require a comprehensive written report containing the compensation scale and career pathway recommendations to be submitted to the Senate and House Education Committees by December 1, 2021.

Compensation scale should consider K-12 educator pay parity, MIT Living Wage Calculator, cost of living, labor market data, and efforts in Washington DC, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

Scale should address all child care educators including lead teachers, teaching aides, assistant teachers, and center directors across childcare centers, family childcare homes, and early intervention programs, with compensation linked to education level and work experience.

Scale should inform Purchase of Care rates for state budgets and be incorporated into the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) with associated financing for adoption and implementation.