Letter from the CEO

Dear Friend –

Thank you for perusing our 2022 Gratitude Report. As the name implies, it is only  because of our generous donors, volunteers, and community partners that EarlystART can prepare Little Learners for bright futures.

You’ll see the positive results of our work sprinkled throughout this publication. What you may not see, however, is the incredible upheaval – arguably a crisis – happening in early childhood education.

For veteran organizations like EarlystART, we know full-well the issues that have long held back the field: low pay, fragmentation in the system, and diminishing public investment that leaves families holding the bill for high-quality care and education.

At EarlystART, we’re on a mission to not only imagine a brighter future, but to boldly pursue it with all we’ve got!

It’s the spirit behind startingEARLY, an initiative to increase the professionalism and capacity of the early childhood workforce. More than a means to removing barriers that have historically marginalized the early learning sector, it’s an actionable plan to create real change.

Better wages. Better educator retention. Better outcomes that support a vibrant community and future workforce. 

As we go about this transformational work, know that your support and advocacy mean more than you can ever imagine! 

Thank you for all you do to support EarlystART.

Deidre Anderson, CEO

Board Update: A Message from Theodis

Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I’m pleased to share that 2022 was a wonder-filled year of building bridges, inspiring minds, and impacting futures at EarlystART. 

In a few years we’ve grown to a nearly $8 million dollar enterprise with three early learning centers, the most recent expansion happening in the fall of 2020, on the heels of the pandemic. Since that time, we’ve learned that the world can change without warning and that resilience and innovation are oh-so essential.

It is why 2022 can also be described as a year of resetting and rebuilding. Our Board continues to re-tool our strategic plan with greater intentionality. We’ve leaned into our governance practices and empowered new voices at the table. Through it all, one thing remains abundantly clear: without high-quality educators, we will compromise the futures of our most valuable asset – our children.

Amid our nation’s crisis to retain early childhood educators, we ask, “How can we incentivize this vitally essential work, pay our teachers a livable wage, and find a way to fund it?”

The Board at EarlystART has responded unanimously:

• Increasing starting pay of educators to $15/hour, regardless of position – a rate that surpasses Missouri’s average starting wage of $12.50/hour;
• Committing to increase our advocacy efforts at both the state and regional levels for continued improvement to wages, benefits, and professional development.

Our work is far from done, but if we have learned anything in recent years, it is that we can emerge from the seemingly impossible when we unite for good.

Your continued investment in early childhood education and an equitably-compensated workforce will return immeasurable dividends – not the least of which is the wonder that inspires the best in each of us!

Theodis Watson, President