about the project

WestEd's E3 Institute Advancing Excellence in Early Education supports and strengthens early childhood professional development through education, recruitment, and financial incentives.

The Institute serves California’s Santa Clara County and reaches new recruits, family child care providers, center-based programs, programs for children with special needs, employers, faith-based providers, and the corporate community with the goal of leveraging local resources for child care professionals, especially through the Compensation and Retention Encourage Stability (CARES) program.

Research has shown that child care offered by qualified early care educators produces better child outcomes -- improved long-term intellectual, emotional, and physical health. Research has also shown that many early childhood education professionals leave the field because they lack financial incentives, a livable salary, and recognition for their work. However, because professional development linked to compensation can significantly improve the stability of the child care workforce and the quality of services to children and families, the institute’s CARES program links educational attainment, professional development, and longevity in the field to financial incentives.

Through the CARES program and other initiatives, the E3 Institute Advancing Excellence in Early Education leverages local child care resources and leads Santa Clara County’s early childhood workforce into a new era of commitment to and support for professional development that benefits children, families, and child care professionals.