Support diversity, equity, and inclusion in the early childhood care and education workforce.
6.3.1 Establish financial incentives to support the recruitment, retention, and advancement of a diverse workforce.
6.3.2 Support culturally, linguistically, and diverse-ability-appropriate materials in professional development opportunities, facilities, playgrounds, and other learning spaces.
6.3.3 Implement professional development programs that increase workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion practices to ensure early childhood environments are responsive to and supportive of a diverse workforce.
The Children’s Cabinet formally adopted an equity statement, and equity serves as a guiding principle in the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic Plan. Several organizations and providers who received PDG Quality Subgrants are using the funding to purchase culturally-competent learning materials or are offering retention bonuses and insurance stipends. The Workforce Development Advisory Group has a subcommittee focused on expanding equity, inclusion, and diversity trainings, opportunities, and shared learning experiences for the early childhood workforce, with the hope of making recommendations to the broader system.
The Kansas Racial Equity Collaborative is a statewide effort to understand the history of racial inequities in child welfare and to define the problem through a shared language.
The Kansas Early Learning Standards (KELS) Revision Team is working to better integrate equity into the KELS through a review and revision process.
Even with strides made in this area, more effort is needed to recruit, retain, and support a diverse early childhood
