Wisconsin Early Childhood Association

Our Programs

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® WISCONSIN

Don Sawabini, Preschool of the Arts, Madison, WI, T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship recipient

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® WISCONSIN, a scholarship program of national scope, provides tuition and other financial supports and incentives to help child care teachers, family child care providers, and child care directors and administrators achieve their educational goals. T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education And Compensation Helps) links education, compensation and commitment of the child care workforce to improved quality of early childhood care and education experiences for young children and their families.

R.E.W.A.R.D.™ WISCONSIN

R.E.W.A.R.D.™ WISCONSIN is a statewide compensation initiative designed to reduce turnover of child care teachers, program directors, and family child care providers by awarding stipends based on one’s level of education. High turnover, as a result of low wages in child care, has a detrimental effect on the healthy development of young children. Efforts to retain the workforce, particularly those who are well-educated, benefit young children, their families, and the child care workforce.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program

Child and Adult Care Food Program is a nutrition program that serves child care providers in Wisconsin and across the country. The program partially reimburses home-based family child care providers and group centers for serving nutritious food to the children in their care. In addition to reducing child hunger locally and in all counties of Wisconsin, the program also strengthens family child care businesses, encourages longevity in the field, and promotes an increased level of professionalism within the childcare field.

Professional Development and Training

WECA provides professional growth opportunities for members of the early childhood care and education workforce, including an annual statewide conference, one-day workshops, and inservices throughout Wisconsin. WECA staff are available to present inservices and workshops for early childhood care and education programs, and at conferences sponsored by other organizations.

In Milwaukee, WECA offers technical assistance and assessments to help programs improve the quality of services they offer to children and families. WECA Milwaukee also provides entry level training to people new to the field of early childhood care and education.

Membership

Wisconsin Early Childhood Association is the state affiliate of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). WECA's base of support includes 1,700 statewide members of the early childhood care and education workforce.

WECA has 15 local chapters throughout Wisconsin, bringing the early childhood workforce together at the community level. The Dane County Association for the Education of Young Children is WECA's local affiliate, serving 350 WECA members.