Early Childhood Education in Milwaukee
We’re making strides, but there’s still work to do.
The State of ECE
Early childhood education is essential for children and families, yet the cost continues to soar. Explore the issues impacting families and providers in Milwaukee - and see how you can help. (En Español) Looking for more info? Check out the full report. (En Español)
The ECE Workforce Crisis
High staff turnover paired with low rates of new educators entering the industry have created challenges for many of Milwaukee’s providers. Discover why our centers are struggling. (En Español)
Regulated family providers are facing similar struggles. Check out how in-home providers in SE Wisconsin stack up. (En Español)
Cost of Care
Child care in Milwaukee is expensive. National guidelines suggest that only 7% of your income should be spent on care. But in Milwaukee, infant child care costs $18,110 per year, meaning people are spending 36% of their income!
Quality of Care
Child care in Wisconsin is rated from 1 at the low end to 5 at the high. Most providers in the state are rated at 2 or 3 stars. In Milwaukee, only 4% of programs are rated at 5 stars, compared to 17% statewide.
Mental Health: Beyond Translation
During COVID, Milwaukee Succeeds and the ECE Coalition developed trainings to help providers cope with trauma and stress. While Spanish translations were available, it quickly became clear that more could be done to serve this population. The result was new culturally responsive trainings that centered Spanish-speaking providers. The initial pilot has now expanded into Phase 2!
Want to Learn More?
For a detailed picture of the Early Childhood Education landscape in Milwaukee, check out this report, commissioned by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation:
View our Early Childhood Education data dashboard: