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Announcing the Working in Early Care and Education in North Carolina: 2023 Workforce Study
We are proud to announce the publication of the Working in Early Care and Education in North Carolina: 2023 Workforce Study. Covering all 100 counties, this comprehensive study explores the current state of early childhood education in North Carolina.
By gathering data through surveys, interviews, and focus groups with administrators, teachers, assistant teachers, and family child care (FCC) providers, this study offers an in-depth look at the people who work with children under five in licensed programs and the challenges they face every day.
This year’s study is our first to feature qualitative research—giving teachers, directors, and FCC providers a powerful platform to share their personal experiences, stories, and recommendations.
Key Findings
For over 30 years, CCSA has led statewide surveys of North Carolina’s early care and education workforce. Our research has shed light on the evolving needs of child care professionals and helped communities across the state understand workforce trends.
The timing of the 2023 Study also highlights the immense impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which amplified existing issues and created new challenges, such as qualified staff recruitment and retention, wage gaps, and mental health.
Some key findings:
- More early childhood teachers than ever before are leaving the profession. Nearly 40 percent of full-time teachers left their job at a child care center in 2023 and more than one in five teachers (22%) are planning to leave within the next three years.
- Early childhood teachers in North Carolina cannot afford to stay in the profession. The median starting salary for an early childhood teacher in 2023 was $14 per hour.
- Despite a slight decline in overall education levels among early childhood teachers since 2019, the number of teachers with degrees specifically in early childhood education has increased. This improvement is even more pronounced for child care leadership. The number of directors with degrees in the field has increased by more than 10%. A degree specifically in the early childhood education field provides unique knowledge for those working with young children.
Whether you’re an educator, policymaker, business leader, parent/guardian or community member, there are opportunities for you to join the conversation and make a difference.
Explore the 2023 Workforce Study and its associated resources today and join us in building a brighter future for child care in North Carolina.
