City of Chicago invests $7M to raise wages for early childhood educators amid staffing crisis

CHICAGO (WGN) — Mayor Brandon Johnson announced the City of Chicago will invest $7 million to increase pay for early childhood professionals.

This comes at a time when many people have left the field for higher paying jobs.

“You all understand that we are showing up for families every day,” Mayor Johnson said. “It’s about time we have salaries that show up for the people who are showing up for the families.”

Dozens of teachers joined Mayor Johnson at the North Lawndale YMCA on Tuesday as he announced raises for thousands of early childhood educators in Chicago.

“I’m proud to announce that we are putting a down payment and investment of $7 million into our city’s budget,” Mayor Johnson said. “$7 million, for the first time, to go towards the down payment and true compensation increase for early care and education professionals.”

According to SEIU Healthcare Illinois, the funding comes after years of advocacy from the union to ensure workers are paid enough to stay in the field.

“Our coalition organized across the city, holding budget town halls, showing up at the mayor’s budget listening sessions, testifying in front of Chicago City Council, and delivering a petition with over 1,800 signatures to City Hall,” Brynn Seibert, VP of SEIU, said.

The union says many families are being turned away from early childhood centers because of staffing shortages.

The shortages have left over 78,000 children in Chicago without access to licensed care.

“I’ve watched as my coworkers have left the field, taken jobs at Walmart or becoming doulas. That’s not OK,” Tahiti Hamer, early childhood teacher at North Lawndale, said.

The mayor says the $7 million will help over 3,000 state workers receive a 5-10% raise. Head Start employees will receive a one-time bonus of 2%.

Teachers in the crowd say the work doesn’t stop here.

“We have more to do to make sure that every childhood teacher earns a living wage, just like early childhood teachers in Chicago Public Schools,” Hamer said.

The raises will go into effect at the start of the City’s fiscal year, which is July 1.