Early Childhood Educator INCENTIVE$ Florida, an affiliate of the Child Care WAGE$^® Program, is a proven and effective strategy to increase the education, compensation, and stability of the early childhood workforce. This early learning quality initiative rewards teachers, directors, owners, and family child care home providers with annual stipends of up to $5,000 as they further their education and maintain continuous employment. 

INCENTIVE$ is administered by the Children’s Forum under contracts with early learning coalitions, children’s services councils, and private contributors. Through these contracts, the program works at the local level to provide equitable access to resources and needed financial supports for our state’s underpaid early childhood workforce.  

If your organization decided to fund the program, you would elect how much to invest in INCENTIVE$ stipends for your early learning community. Your area’s total number of participants (approximate caseload) would vary depending on their INCENTIVE$ award amounts. There are currently eight award levels ranging from $450 to $5,000 on the INCENTIVE$ scale. The higher the education level of the early educator, the greater the stipend. Sample contracts and caseload examples are available for your review upon request.

You can be a champion for early childhood educators and bring INCENTIVE$ to your community! The resources below provide additional program information. If you have any further questions, please give our INCENTIVE$ Team a call at 888-352-4453 or send an email to incentivesquestions@thechildrensforum.com.