WAGE$

Child Care WAGE$ KANSAS® is an education based salary supplement for full time child care workers who work with children ages 0-5.  The project is designed to provide young children more stable relationships with better educated teachers by rewarding teacher education and continuity of care.

Project goals:

• To improve the quality of early childhood care and education in child care centers and family child care homes.
• To decrease the turnover rate of child care providers.
• To increase compensation of early childhood educators without increasing costs to parents.
• To increase the educational level of staff providing child care.
• To maintain marketplace competition for better salaries.
• To integrate and build upon other education and compensation initiatives

Bi-annual salary supplements are awarded based on the level of education attained (6 credit hours to Masters Degree) and after verification of employment following a six month commitment period.

Child care teachers or family child care providers meeting the following criteria are eligible to apply for a salary supplement:

• Work a minimum of 10 hours per week with children ages 0-5 in a licensed child care program
• Make a wage of less than $14.45 per hour
• Must have some formal child care credential or education beyond high school
• Must work in an eligible or participating county

Eligible Child Start Counties:

• Butler: Funded through Butler County Smart Start
• Reno: Funded through Smart Start Reno County
• Rice: Funded through Smart Start Reno County

For more information or to be put onto a wailing list, please contact:
Kris Nicholson, KACCRRA Project Director at 877-678 2548 or by email.