Chicago City Wire

Today, the City of Chicago announced a $7 million investment to increase salaries for early childhood professionals. This initiative, led by Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS), aims to bring compensation for these workers closer in line with their counterparts in the K-12 education system.

Mayor Johnson stated, "At a time when the federal government is cutting funding for early childhood, the City of Chicago is stepping up." The investment will affect over 3,000 workers across 86 providers, with salary increases averaging between 5% and 10%. Additionally, Head Start workers will receive a one-time bonus of 2%.

Acting DFSS Commissioner Maura McCauley emphasized the importance of this move: “A successful early learning landscape hinges on the strength of our workforce.” She added that DFSS plans to continue efforts towards pay parity through future studies.

The DFSS Children Services Division will collaborate with the Center for Early Learning Funding Equity (CELFE) on research to develop a strategy aligning community-based organization salaries with those in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). This strategy will be included in DFSS’s next Early Learning Request for Proposals.

Tahiti Hamer, an early childhood teacher at North Lawndale YMCA, highlighted community involvement: "We are here today because Mayor Johnson and the City Council listened to organized early childhood workers."

Rocio Garcia, a parent from Chicago, shared her personal experience: “Childcare workers need adequate pay so they can afford to stay in the field.”

Brynn Seibert from SEIU Healthcare Illinois expressed gratitude towards Mayor Johnson's response to community advocacy efforts: "We are grateful that Mayor Brandon Johnson listened and is taking action."

This investment supports two priorities of the Johnson administration: investing in young people and supporting working individuals. It follows last month's proclamation by Mayor Johnson declaring April as Month of the Young Child.