The promise of early childhood care and education programs for Hawaii’s families and children has felt like a dream for decades. This is the case even as child care and early learning have gotten renewed attention over the last few years — from promises at the state level of universal prekindergarten to the unrealized potential of ”Build Back Better.” Again and again, the glimmer of possibility seems bright until it slips away.

There has been renewed interest in moving the dream forward, led by early childhood community members and the lieutenant governor. We think this time is different because there is growing acceptance — across the education sector, businesses and families — that to achieve universal access to early childhood care and education, we must start with the people who make it possible: the early learning workforce.

Two initiatives are underway that, combined, can make a big impact. Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke recently announced the Ready Keiki initiative: a public-private effort that promises universal access to early learning for all 3- and 4-year-olds by providing sufficient classrooms.

These facilities will need educators. So, there is a complementary effort at the state Legislature to increase wages in the early learning sector. House Bill 547 establishes a pilot program where the state Department of Human Services (DHS) will provide wage supplements to infant and toddler center staff members. Increasing wages will aid recruitment and retention of our child care workforce.

These programs in tandem are powerful. We are optimistic they will build on past work and move us forward.

In 2022 the Early Childhood Educator Excellence and Equity Project at the University of Hawaii-Manoa commissioned a study of early educators in regulated child care centers and homes. This study showed that on average, these educators make between $13 and $17 per hour. This is well below what’s needed for a living wage. This issue of low wages is not just a Hawaii problem. A recent national study also showed that in 2020, 1 in 3 early educators were food insecure. This was while many of these centers stayed open, caring for the keiki of doctors, nurses, store clerks and other essential workers. To recruit and retain early learning educators, we must pay them a living wage.

Other states and D.C. have seen success in committing public investments to increase early childhood educators’ professional wages. North Carolina and Tennessee have retained early educators by increasing their pay through bonuses in recognition of credential or degree attainment. And in July 2021, the D.C. Council voted to use public dollars to increase the compensation of eligible early childhood educators working in licensed child care programs.

Here in Hawaii, HB 547 invests in professionals educating and caring for infants and toddlers. This is the segment of the education sector with the greatest shortages and the lowest pay. We hope focusing first on this specific group of professionals will allow DHS to innovate and problem-solve as it does something that has never been done in Hawaii.

Families and businesses rely on early childhood care and education professionals to care for our kids. They are the workforce behind so many workforces. If we need more of them to join or remain in the sector, we must make sure they can not only live, but thrive. We believe they are not just the heart of any classroom; they must also be at the heart of any plans of early education expansion.

Let’s take the first step toward investing in them this legislative session with HB 547. We believe starting with the early childhood care and education workforce can be the changemaker this time.

Terry Lock, Ed.D., is director of the Early Childhood Educator Excellence and Equity Project at the University of Hawaii-Manoa College of Education; Keopu Reelitz is director of early learning and health policy at Hawaii Children’s Action Network Speaks!; Josh Wisch is president/executive director of Holomua Collaborative.