Across the nation, conversations about the sustainability and quality of early childhood education increasingly point to one critical factor: workforce compensation. In Nevada, a forward-thinking, collaborative effort has laid the groundwork for a meaningful solution—an Early Childhood Workforce Wage Scale Tool designed to support and elevate the professionals who care for and educate our youngest learners.
A Strategic, Collaborative Approach
The development of Nevada’s Early Childhood Workforce Wage Scale Tool represents a collective commitment from system partners to address longstanding challenges in the field. Rather than serving as an immediate funding mechanism, this initiative focused on creating a practical, data-informed wage tool—a flexible framework that can be activated when funding opportunities arise.
By taking a proactive approach, Nevada is positioning itself to respond quickly and effectively to future investments in early childhood education. The goal is simple yet impactful: ensure that compensation strategies are thoughtful, equitable, and grounded in real workforce data.
This work was made possible through a collaborative partnership between the Nevada Association for the Education of Young Children (NevAEYC), The Nevada Registry, and the National Workforce Registry Alliance (NWRA), with funding support provided through Nevada’s Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5). By combining national expertise, statewide workforce data, and strong cross-sector collaboration, the project reflects Nevada’s ongoing commitment to strengthening and supporting the early childhood workforce through innovative, data-driven solutions.
Designed with Nevada’s Workforce in Mind
At the heart of this tool is alignment with two critical components of Nevada’s early childhood system:
- The Nevada Registry’s Early Care and Education Professional Career Ladder
This established framework outlines professional growth pathways for early childhood educators, linking qualifications, experience, and advancement. By tying compensation to the career ladder, the tool reinforces the value of education and professional development. - NevAEYC’s Administration of COVID Relief Stipends
Lessons learned from distributing pandemic-era stipends provided valuable insight into effective financial support strategies. These experiences helped shape a more targeted and equitable approach to compensation design within the tool.
Together, these elements ensure that the compensation model reflects both career progression and real-world implementation insights, creating a stronger, more responsive system.
A Tool, Not Yet a Program
It is important to note that the scope of this initiative was focused solely on development—not implementation. The wage tool itself is a blueprint, ready to be leveraged when funding becomes available.
This distinction is key. By separating planning from implementation, Nevada has created a ready-to-use solution that can be quickly adapted to meet emerging opportunities. Whether through state funding, federal grants, or policy-driven investments, the groundwork is already in place.
Supporting Policy, Advocacy, and Research
Once activated, the tool will do more than guide compensation—it will serve as a strategic asset for the broader early childhood system. Housed within The Nevada Registry, it draws on robust workforce data, enabling system partners to:
- Inform policy development with evidence-based insights
- Support advocacy efforts for increased funding and workforce support
- Guide research into workforce trends and compensation impacts
This integration ensures that compensation strategies are not developed in isolation but are instead part of a data-driven, system-wide approach.
Looking Ahead
Nevada’s Early Childhood Workforce Wage Scale Tool represents an important step forward in recognizing and supporting the professionals who form the backbone of early learning. While implementation depends on future funding, the state is now equipped with a thoughtful, scalable model that can evolve alongside the needs of the workforce.
As conversations around early childhood investment continue, Nevada’s preparation stands as a powerful example of what is possible when collaboration, data, and vision come together.
When the time comes, this tool will be ready—helping to build a stronger, more sustainable early childhood workforce for the future.
Learn more about the Wage Scale Tool by viewing one of two recent listening sessions hosted by NevAEYC April 2026. Use the passcode XA2@?4Rs to access.
For more information, please contact:
- Shelly Nye, Program Director, The Nevada Registry
- Robin Marx-Mackerley, Executive Director, Nevada Association for the Education of Young Children (NevAEYC)
- Kimberlee Belcher-Badal, Ph.D., Executive Director, National Workforce Registry Alliance (NWRA)
