Educators for young children are in short supply. How one city is changing that

In a playground across from a YMCA, Mayra Aguilar was making little balls of purple modeling clay that fit easily in the palms of the toddlers sitting in front of her. She helped a little girl named Wynter unbuckle the bicycle helmet she had put on to ride her tricycle around the playground.

Ms. Aguilar smiled; the sun glinted off her tiny gold hoops. “Say, ‘Thank you, teacher,’” Ms. Aguilar encouraged Wynter, who is almost 3 years old. Other toddlers crowded around Wynter, Ms. Aguilar, and a large plastic tub of Crayola modeling clay, and Ms. Aguilar took the opportunity to give them another brief lesson. “Wynter, let’s share,” Ms. Aguilar insisted, moving the tub among the children. “Say, ‘Will you pass it to me?’”

Ms. Aguilar and Wynter are new to this. Wynter has been in the structured environment of a daycare since mid-August. Ms. Aguilar began teaching preschool and toddlers part-time in February.

This has changed both of their lives in different ways. Wynter, an only child, is learning to share, count, and recognize letters. Ms. Aguilar is getting paid to work and is earning her first college credits, laying the groundwork for a new career, while also learning new ways to interact with her three children.

Early childhood educators are often in short supply, and many who try this job quickly give up. The pay is similar to, or even lower than, that of fast-food restaurants and department stores. However, unlike some higher-paying jobs, working with young children and infants typically requires a higher level of education beyond a high school diploma. Moving up the pay scale often requires a college degree.

What sets Ms. Aguilar apart from many others starting out in this profession is that she is an apprentice, a training program more commonly associated with welders, machinists, and pipefitters. Apprenticeship programs for early childhood education have been running in different parts of the country for at least a decade, but San Francisco's program stands out. It boasts exceptionally good and sustainable funding thanks to a property tax approved by voters in 2018. The money raised goes toward covering the cost of early childhood educator training programs and increasing salaries enough for teachers to envision themselves in this profession long-term.