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SB 2369

AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND EARLY EDUCATOR WORKFORCE ACT

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jake Bissaillon and 6 co-sponsors

Rhode Island would boost early educator pay, fund professional development and credentials, and expand apprenticeships to align early childhood qualifications with K-12 teaching.

06/02/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · SB 2369

Overview

SB 2369 (Rhode Island Early Educator Workforce Act) is a 2026 bill proposed in Rhode Island to stabilize and strengthen the workforce for licensed child care and early learning programs. It emphasizes raising compensation, supporting professional development, and expanding credential attainment for early educators, with a focus on aligning early childhood qualifications and pay with K-12 teachers.

Purpose and Intent

  • Recognize that young children’s brain development hinges on stable, well-supported early educators.
  • Address low wages and recruitment/retention challenges in Rhode Island’s early childhood sector.
  • Establish a framework to improve compensation, education, and career pathways for early educators, aligning their qualifications with those of K-12 teachers.
  • Build on existing state programs (e.g., TEACH scholarship and WAGE$) to sustain and expand workforce development efforts.

Key Provisions

  1. Collaboration between Agencies

    • The Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) must collaborate to advance workforce development and compensation programs for licensed early childhood professionals.

  2. Workforce Development Programs

    • Manage the Rhode Island TEACH early childhood program, which supports attainment of the national Child Development Associate (CDA) credential and college coursework/degrees in early childhood education and related fields.
    • Manage registered apprenticeships for early educators, combining on-the-job coaching by master early educators with opportunities to earn national credentials and degrees.

  3. WAGE$ Program Funding

    • Allocate at least $1,000,000 annually to continue the Child Care WAGE$ program, a salary supplement model designed to improve compensation, education, and retention of low-wage early educators in licensed programs and family child care settings.

  4. Scope

    • Applies to licensed child care centers and family child care providers in Rhode Island.
    • Leverages public funding to support educator wages and professional development, with the goal of reducing turnover and improving program quality.

  5. Effective Date

    • The act would take effect upon passage.

Who Is Affected

  • Early childhood educators working in licensed child care centers and family child care homes.
  • Employers operating licensed early learning programs.
  • DHS and DESE, which would administer and oversee the associated programs (TEACH, apprenticeships, and WAGE$).
  • Children and families benefiting from higher-qualified staff and more stable early education environments.

Procedural/Timeline Highlights

  • Introduced January 30, 2026; referred to Senate Finance.
  • Scheduled for hearing/consideration on June 2, 2026. -Funding and program administration would be ongoing annually, beginning upon passage.

Potential Impact

  • Improved compensation and benefits for early educators, reducing turnover and helping attract qualified candidates.
  • Expanded pathways to credential attainment (CDA, college coursework, degrees) and formal apprenticeships.
  • Stronger linkage between compensation and professional development, aligning early educator standards with K-12 teaching standards.
  • Enhanced quality and stability of Rhode Island’s early childhood programs, with potential positive effects on child development and family stability.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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