Latinxs are one of the fastest growing populations in the United States with one in four babies born in the United States coming from Latinx families. These young children make up the most diverse generation in the United States, and with that vibrant cultural and linguistic diversity, the preferences of their families for their early childhood education (ECE) experiences are distinct.
A critical component of meeting the early education needs of Latinx families are the educators who make up the early childhood education workforce. Latina early educators reflect the mosaic of diversity that Latinx communities bring to the United States and carry a wide array of life experiences, skills, and assets to the field of early childhood education. Their presence and leadership enhance children’s development, provide specific and necessary supports for families, and serve as a critical pillar across all care settings.
Today, 23% of all center-based child care workers and 16% of home-based child care providers are Latina. Latina and immigrant ECE educators play a vital role in providing the early learning experiences that bilingual and bicultural families seek, in enhancing the learning experiences of all students in their care, and in addressing the ECE workforce shortage. Despite their added value to the ECE system, Latina child care providers are significantly undervalued, being among the lowest-paid groups in the ECE sector.
It is beyond time for the United States to celebrate and invest in the early educators who bring diverse skills, promote inclusivity and cultural diversity, and yet face significant additional barriers to entering and staying in the field.