Why Juneteenth Matters

Leaders of high-quality early childhood programs continually reevaluate how their programs operate. They consider what is important to their enrolled families and changes in the external environment as well. In 2023, Juneteenth became a federal holiday, causing program directors and administrators to consider changes to their holiday calendars. It also gave many the opportunity to think about how and what to teach young children about our country’s history. That is why I am already thinking ahead to Juneteenth as we celebrate Black History month this February. As we approach the second federal acknowledgment of Juneteenth, leaders have the chance to build upon what they did last year.

The Juneteenth holiday represents an important moment in American history. Juneteenth is also called Emancipation Day and marks the actual end of slavery in the United States. Many people mistake January 1, 1863, as the end of slavery. However, although the original Emancipation Proclamation was made on January 1, 1863, it was difficult to enforce in areas still under Confederate control. Specifically in western Texas, about 250,000 black people remained enslaved until over two years later. On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and freed the remaining people by an executive decree. This day came to be known as “Juneteenth” by the newly freed people in Texas. Those freed began to refer to the day as Juneteenth.

In 2021, President Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth a federal holiday. President Biden stated, “Making Juneteenth a federal holiday was only one part of my Administration’s efforts to advance racial equity and ensure that America lives up to its highest ideals.” This continues to make me think about how things have changed, yet some things have remained the same over time. It took one hundred and fifty-eight years, and now this day is a national holiday.

While we are four months away from Juneteenth, you can start brainstorming how you might want to celebrate the holiday in your own early care and education program. Ways African Americans have celebrated Juneteenth include parades, picnics, exhibits, and festivals. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking:

Visit an African American Museum.
Meet with staff before and after the visit to discuss what you learned, what you felt, and how you might be able to engage with children and families in gaining a better understanding of Black History.
Discuss what you have learned or didn’t learn about Juneteenth.
Share your personal understanding of Juneteenth and how you came to learn about it, how you celebrate it, or if you celebrate at all.
Be a visionary of fun ideas.
Create an environment during Juneteenth that allows children to learn while having fun.
Engage in cultural activities that can help staff and families learn from one another.
Host cultural festivals or events with exhibits and food from different cultures.
Engage with businesses and organizations owned by African Americans.

My family and I dine at African-American-owned restaurants on Juneteenth to support their businesses. This year, my organization will collaborate with another non-profit organization to host a Juneteenth community festival.

Participating in these activities will enhance our understanding of one another, bridging the gaps that have kept us divided.

Shuntae Richardson, M.P.A., is Quality Supports Specialist for the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University. She is also the founder of the One Accord Community Development Organization and a member of The National Society of Leadership and Success. Shuntae holds an Associate degree in hospitality from Robert Morris University, a baccalaureate in behavioral science, and a Master’s degree in public administration from National Louis University. Shuntae has over 20 years of experience in the non-profit and corporate sectors. Her professional experience includes accounting, customer service, insurance claims, office management, mortgage lending, event planning, and community and business development. Shuntae has professional affiliations with many organizations and has served as a board of trustee member for several non-profit organizations. She has served on planning committees for villages, townships, and the chambers of commerce in various communities. Shuntae has traveled throughout the Chicagoland area, presenting workshops in corporate settings and facilitating budgeting simulations in high schools. She has been instrumental in motivating and encouraging others to reach their highest potential.

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Examining the Role of Employer Benefits and Turnover in Center-based Child Care

By Robyn Kelton, M.A. • June 27, 2025

INTRODUCTION Turnover rates in child care are among the highest in education, with over 160,000 workforce openings predicted annually (Bassok et al., 2014; Doromal et al., 2022; Joughin, 2021; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025). While some turnover is expected and even necessary, the levels of turnover experienced in the field of early childhood education and care (ECEC) are not only alarmingly high but deeply problematic. In 2021, a national survey conducted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children found that over 80% of child care centers were experiencing a staffing shortage, with the majority of those programs reporting one-to-five open roles, but 15% reporting between six and 15 open roles (NAEYC, 2021). Staffing shortages result in lost revenue, financial uncertainty, and program instability, often forcing administrators to operate below capacity and/or under reduced hours (NAEYC, 2021; NAEYC, 2024; Zero to Three, 2024). Limited enrollment slots and classroom and program closures lead to increased waiting lists (Zero to Three, 2024; Carrazana, 2023). In turn, families are placed in a highly vulnerable position of needing to leave the workforce to stay home with their child or turn to potentially unsafe or unregulated child care. Moreover, increased turnover in classrooms interrupts continuity of care and disrupts the relationships built between children and their educators (Reidt-Parker, J., & Chainski, M. J. (2015). Research has begun to highlight some of the programmatic and personnel characteristics predictive of increased staff turnover in ECEC programs. Low wages are most commonly identified as a strong predictor of turnover (Amadon et al., 2023; Bryant et al., 2023; Fee, 2024; Guevara, 2022; Totenhagen et al., 2016). However, workforce advocates and some researchers have begun to expand conversations on compensation to explore the impact the profession’s general lack of benefits such as paid time off, access to health insurance, and retirement benefits has on retention (e.g., Amadon et al., 2023; Bryant et al., 2023; Fee, 2024; Lucas, 2023). While informative, this body of work has typically approached benefits as binary variables (i.e., have or do not have) rather than reflect the spectrum on which benefits are commonly offered (e.g., the number of days off, the percent of insurance covered by the employer, and levels of retirement matching funds). This Research Note aims to expand on previous work investigating the relationship between benefits and turnover by exploring the possibility of a more nuanced relationship between the variables to determine if the level of benefits offered impacts turnover rates. METHOD This study used data collected via formal Program Administration Scale, 3rd Edition (PAS-3) assessments conducted by Certified PAS-3 Assessors between 2023 and 2025. To become certified, PAS-3 assessors must first achieve reliability (a score of at least 86%) on a test conducted after four days of training on the tool. Next, they must conduct two PAS assessments within three months of reliability training. PAS-3 national anchors reviewed the completed assessments for consistency, accuracy, and completeness. The study analyzed data from 133 PAS-3 assessments collected during the certification process across 12 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Mariana Islands. Measures Data for this study were collected using the PAS-3, a valid and reliable tool used to measure and improve Whole Leadership practices in center-based programs (Talan, Bella, Jorde Bloom, 2022). The PAS-3 includes 25 items, each composed of 2-5 indicator strands and scored on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = inadequate, 3 = minimal, 5 = good, and 7 = excellent). Item scores are averaged to determine a mean PAS-3 score. Of particular interest to this study is Item 5: Benefits. Item 5 measures employee access to health insurance and considers what percentage of the cost is paid by the employer, the total number of paid time off days within the first and fifth years of employment, access to a retirement plan, and the percentage at which the employer will match the employee’s contribution. Last, Item 5 explores provisions made to cover the costs of staff’s professional development. Non-applicable is allowed as a response for indicators related to health insurance and retirement if there are no full-time staff employed by the program. Sample Program enrollment ranged in size from four children to 285, with a mean enrollment of 65 and a median of 55. Total program staff for the sample ranged from two to 44 staff, with an average of just under 14 staff (13.93) and a standard deviation of 8.80. Table 1 below provides a detailed breakdown of staff by role and full-time and part-time status.