Faculty Advisor
Dr. Heather Hanna
Faculty Advisor Email
heather.hanna@ssrc.msstate.edu
Abstract
Child care workers are vital to early childhood education, yet they face persistent economic instability, low wages, and high turnover rates. To address these challenges, states and policymakers have implemented stipends, wage supplements, and professional development programs aimed at improving financial security, job satisfaction, and workforce retention. This literature review examines the effectiveness of these initiatives across the United States, drawing on theoretical frameworks such as Vroom’s Expectancy Theory and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory to contextualize their impact. Research indicates that financial incentives significantly reduce turnover, while professional development fosters job satisfaction and career advancement. However, sustainability concerns remain, particularly with the expiration of temporary funding sources like the American Rescue Plan. The review highlights gaps in long-term research, equity considerations, and regional disparities, emphasizing the need for continued investment to ensure a stable, skilled, and well-compensated early childhood education workforce.
Rights
© 2025 Lucinda Leffler. This work is self-published and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). This means that others are free to share and adapt the material for non-commercial purposes, provided that appropriate credit is given to the author. For permissions beyond the scope of this license, please contact ljl209@msstate.edu.
Recommended Citation
Leffler, Lucinda J.
(2025)
"Addressing Economic Instability and Workforce Turnover in Early Childhood Education: The Role of Stipends, Wage Supplements, and Professional Development,"
Endeavors: Mississippi State Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 1:
Iss.
1, Article 8.
Available at:
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/endeavors/vol1/iss1/8
Research brief created based on Lit Review for sharing with legislators and representatives
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Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching Commons, Community-Based Research Commons, Early Childhood Education Commons, Economic Policy Commons, Education Economics Commons, Education Policy Commons, Family and Consumer Sciences Commons, Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Labor Economics Commons, Other Life Sciences Commons, Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons, Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons, Policy Design, Analysis, and Evaluation Commons, Politics and Social Change Commons, Public Policy Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons, Social Policy Commons, Social Welfare Commons, Work, Economy and Organizations Commons
