Building Pay Equity for Early Educators
A Salary Scale Toolkit for Supporting the use of Salary Scales in Early Childhood Programs
An online, interactive toolkit with information & resources to develop, revise, and implement salary scales in early childhood programs
The toolkit provides the history, context, and importance of fair compensation for all early educators and highlights the use of salary scales as an effective strategy to recruit and retain an educated workforce.
You will find a wide range of concepts and resources to consider related to early childhood business practices, allowing users to pick and choose where to begin, where to go, and how little or how much information you need throughout your journey towards improving compensation.
No matter your role, there's something here for you!
Each section is linked here for quickly navigating where you want to go.
You can also explore the flowchart below to see what areas might be a good fit for your needs.
TOOLKIT CALCULATOR
Topics include:
- Understanding the work
- What IS a salary scale
- Why are salary scales important
- NC's Model Salary Scale for EC teachers
Topics include:
- What IS a salary scale
- The process of creating or revising a salary scale
- Your wage & compensation philosophy
- Goal setting
- Implementing the salary scale
- Scenarios & next steps
Topics include:
- The unique aspects of family child care businesses and salary scales
- How do I create a salary scale for myself
- Business structures
- Record keeping & taxes
- Paying yourself first: budgeting & financial planning
- Planning wage increases & retirement
- FCCH's with employees/taxes & wages
Topics include:
- How TA/PD/HE can support salary scales
- Family Child Care: unique businesses
- Center based programs and salary scales
- Salary scales as a tool to attract & retain staff
- Where to begin
- Providing resources
- Implementing wage goals
- Special topics to consider
This is an excel spreadsheet that you can download, use, and save for personal use. It allows you to enter your current staff wages and look at projections for increases over time. You'll be able to compare current wages to the suggested model scale or based on your own goals. You will want to have the following information on hand:
- Your current staff roster, wages, and education levels
- A good estimate of total revenue/income
You may find it helpful to refer to this GLOSSARY. It includes definitions of common terms you'll find in the toolkit and a reference to where that term can be found in the toolkit, as well.
YES
I want to learn more about EC history and how salary scales attract and retain early educators
I came here for something specific
YES
NO
YES
NO
Topics include:
- History of EC & the need for salary scales
- What IS a salary scale
- Why are salary scales important
- NC's Model Salary Scale for EC teachers
I am an administrator or teacher
in a center based program
NO
I am a family child
care owner
YES
NO
I provide technical assistance,
professional development, or I teach
early childhood college coursework
Topics include:
- What IS a salary scale
- Your wage & compensation philosophy
- Beginning the process & goal setting
- Implementing the salary scale
- Scenarios & next steps
NO
YES
Topics include:
- Being an educator and business owner - why salary scales are important
- Common FCCH business structures and tax preparation
- Record Keeping for FCCH
- Paying yourself first: budgeting
- Planning wage increases and retirement
- FCCH's with employees/taxes & wages
I have a good understanding
of early childhood business practices
OR
NO
YES
Topics include:
- How TA/PD/HE can support salary scales
- Family Child Care: unique businesses
- Center based programs and salary scales
- Beginning the conversation
- Gathering information
- Creating or revising a salary scale
- Implementing wage goals
- Special topics to consider
I want to look at the numbers...I'm ready to
estimate personnel costs and consider the
financial aspects of wages over time
OR
NO
YES
You may want to visit the SALARY SCALE
Topics include:
- History of EC & the need for salary scales
- What IS a salary scale
- Why are salary scales important
- NC's Model Salary Scale for EC teachers
This is an excel spreadsheet that allows you to enter your current staff wages and look at projections for increases over time. You'll be able to compare current wages to the suggested model scale or based on your own goals. You will want to have the following information on hand:
- Your current staff roster, wages, and education levels
- A good estimate of total revenue/income
Remember, the toolkit is a resource to use based on your interests and needs. If this is a new topic for you, we suggest beginning with the HOW AND WHY OF SALARY SCALES SECTION, reviewing small areas and resources at a time.
We hope you explore the toolkit in its entirety, but we also know that not everyone needs the same resources. You will notice as you explore areas throughout the toolkit that some ideas might be mentioned in multiple places. This is intentionally done so that the core concepts of compensation and salary scales are not missed...no matter where you explore.
We do not endorse nor employ any of the following organizations or opportunities, however we are providing a list of business supports that serve North Carolina Early Childhood program business practices that you may find useful.
The North Carolina Institute for Child Development Professionals is responsible for the salary scale toolkit. Their website provides information on efforts to link education with the compensation of early childhood educators.
NC Self-Help
Credit Union
The Self-Help Credit Union offers a wide range of business supports for
early education programs.
Civitas Strategies provides business resources aimed to increase revenue, decrease costs, and mitigate risks - including specific resources for early childhood programs and family child care home owners.
Tons of early childhood business resources for programs and family child care home owners, provided collaboratively through WECA, WEESN, and Civitas Strategies. Keep in mind that this is specific to Wisconsin when state laws or child care regulations are mentioned, however the concepts transfer to business practices across the country.
The North Carolina Early Education Coalition bridges the work of early education with policy makers, partners, and organizations to make lasting changes to improve the lives of young children, their families, and early educators.
The North Carolina Statewide Family Child Care Project is intended to offer supports to family child care businesses in North Carolina.
The Family Child Care Provider Clearinghouse provides a full range of business resources specific to family child care. There are many links to templates, other organizations, and educational content related to family child care business practices.
Disclaimers
While we strive to always provide accurate, current and helpful resources and information in our salary scale toolkit, it's important to stress that this information is not a substitute for tax and legal advice from a tax preparer or attorney. You should always consult a professional with experience and knowledge of child care businesses to assist you with specific questions or needs. The content and resources we have included in this toolkit is merely meant to be informational and does not constitute legal advice.
In addition, although the NC Salary Scale Toolkit (toolkit) is a product of the NC Institute for Child Development Professionals (the Institute), the toolkit website may contain copyrighted content not owned by the Institute. The materials, resources and information in the toolkit is provided for educational and informational purposes and thus is believed to fall under the "Fair Use" guidelines of section 107 of the US Copyright Act of 1976. All rights and credit go directly to the rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.
©2023 NC Institute for Child Development Professionals