How to Improve Staff Retention in Early Childhood Education

If you’re like most childcare center directors, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of losing a great teacher just as they’ve built strong relationships with children and parents. You’re not alone. Staff turnover in early childhood education centers averages 30% annually, with most educators staying just over two years in their positions.  This revolving door doesn’t just disrupt your center operations—it affects the quality of care you provide and strains your budget with constant recruitment and training costs. The challenge is significant, but there’s hope: implementing targeted retention strategies can dramatically reduce turnover and create stability for your center, your staff, and the children you serve.

Understanding Why Your Staff Leaves

The problem is getting worse, not better. Early educators’ wages have increased by only 4.6% nationally in recent years (after adjusting for inflation)—lagging behind the 4.9% increase for all occupations. Even more concerning, industries that often attract ECE workers away from childcare, like fast food and retail, saw wage increases of 5.2% and 6.8% respectively.

This wage gap directly impacts turnover. The Cleveland Federal Reserve reported in January 2024 that turnover in childcare work was approximately 65% higher than in typical occupations in 2022. For many centers, this means constantly recruiting and training new staff—a significant financial burden when every departure costs thousands in recruitment, onboarding, and lost productivity.

The Real Reasons Your Best Teachers Walk Away

While we all know compensation matters, your teachers are likely leaving for multiple reasons:

1. They feel stuck without opportunities to grow their skills or advance their careers
2. They’re burning out from high stress, limited breaks, and physically demanding work
3. They don’t feel valued despite their critical role in children’s development
4. They need better benefits, like healthcare and paid time off
5. They want more support from leadership and colleagues

Understanding these motivations gives you multiple ways to improve retention—even if you can’t immediately raise salaries.

Build a Workplace Where Teachers Want to Stay

Your center’s culture has a powerful impact on retention. Teachers who feel supported and appreciated are significantly more likely to stay, even when offered slightly higher pay elsewhere.

What You Can Start Doing Tomorrow

1. Connect personally with each staff member: Schedule brief weekly check-ins to discuss challenges and ideas. These 15-minute conversations show teachers you value their input and can identify issues before they become reasons to leave.
2. Create opportunities for team bonding: Monthly potluck lunches, birthday celebrations, or quick morning huddles help build relationships that keep staff engaged. 
3. Pair new teachers with mentors: This provides support for newcomers while giving experienced staff leadership opportunities. Mentorship programs create a win-win situation for both new and veteran teachers.
4. Recognize great work consistently: Whether it’s a “Teacher of the Month” parking spot, public praise at staff meetings, or thank-you notes acknowledging specific contributions, recognition costs little but impacts retention significantly. Regular appreciation efforts help educators feel valued for their hard work.
5. Offer leadership opportunities: Allow interested teachers to lead parent workshops, mentor new staff, or spearhead curriculum initiatives. These opportunities provide growth pathways that keep ambitious educators engaged and invested in your center’s success.

How Technology Can Help Without Adding Work

Tools like Daily Connect’s staff management features can transform your center’s culture by streamlining communication and reducing paperwork burden. When teachers spend less time on administrative tasks, they have more energy for children and feel more satisfied with their roles.

Invest in Growth: Professional Development That Works

Your teachers want to grow professionally—and centers that support this growth see better retention rates. Professional development doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming to be effective.

Practical Approaches for Busy Centers

1. Create a resource library: Maintain a collection of books, articles, and online resources that teachers can access when they have time.
2. Leverage free webinars: Organizations like NAEYC offer free professional development opportunities you can incorporate into staff meetings.
3. Develop skill-sharing sessions: Have each teacher present on their area of expertise during monthly meetings.
4. Support credential pursuit: Offer flexible scheduling for teachers pursuing higher education, even if you can’t provide tuition assistance.
5. Use digital tools: Daily Connect’s learning assessment tools help teachers document children’s progress without a paperwork burden. This technology gives educators concrete evidence of their teaching impact and supports their professional development through simplified tracking of curriculum implementation and child outcomes.

Creative Compensation Approaches When Budgets Are Tight

While competitive wages are ideal, many centers successfully improve retention through creative compensation approaches that don’t drastically increase operating costs.

Beyond Base Pay: Strategies That Work

1. Implement transparent pay scales: Create clear criteria for advancement so teachers see a path to earning more as they gain experience and education.
2. Offer retention bonuses: Even small bonuses ($250-500) for completing each year of service can significantly improve retention.
3. Consider non-monetary benefits: Additional paid time off, flexible scheduling, or allowing teachers to bring their own children to the center at reduced rates can be highly valued.
4. Partner with local businesses: Some centers negotiate discounts for their staff at local restaurants, gyms, or service providers as an added benefit.
5. Recognize professional development: Offer small pay increases when teachers complete certain training milestones or earn credentials.

Create Your Staff Retention Plan

Improving staff retention doesn’t happen overnight, but you can start seeing results within months by taking these steps:

1. Ask your staff what matters most to them through anonymous surveys or one-on-one conversations
2. Select one strategy from each area discussed in this article to implement in the next 30 days
3. Track your results by monitoring turnover rates, staff satisfaction, and feedback
4. Build on your success by gradually adding more retention strategies

Remember, each teacher you retain saves you thousands in recruitment and training costs while providing better continuity of care for the children and families you serve.

Want to see how technology can support your retention efforts? Explore how Daily Connect can streamline your center’s operations and free up resources for investing in your most valuable asset—your teaching staff. Try Daily Connect for free today!