Can We Abolish Dying Wages for Early Childhood Educators?

How can innovative budgeting solutions unlock a true living wage for our early childhood educators while expanding access and quality? The field of early childhood education struggles to provide living wages to educators, many of whom can now make more working at Walmart or Amazon warehouses. It’s time to unlock new opportunities for early childhood care to turn it into a diverse, thriving wage field — and to make sure students get the education and care they need.

The Cost of Poverty Experience (COPE) offers a glimpse into the lives of real low-income individuals and families. The participants navigate and explore the obstacles, decisions and complexities that impact the lives of COPE families in our community. The simulation is 1 simulated month, four 15-minute weeks, (1 hour). After the simulated month in the lives of the families, we lead our group in a 1-hour discussion to reveal the hidden challenges embedded in each COPE family and share about navigating the difficulties. Not from our personal point of view, but from the perspective of the families in the COPE community.  The event culminates with a 30-minute presentation of tangible Next Steps beyond the day’s events. A commitment to learn, volunteer, and/or donate more in our continued development of greater empathy and connection to the people we advocate for.

Since launching the first education bachelor’s degree at a historical 2-year college in the state of Texas in 2020, support from the Dallas College Foundation and the philanthropic community has helped position the new Dallas College School of Education as a national leader and innovator in the early childhood education space. This workshop provides a platform for the School of Education and other community partners to amplify and raise awareness around the complex challenges North Texas faces related to early childhood and generational poverty.