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Early care and education are among the most critical investments in a child’s future. The experiences and learning environments children encounter in their earliest years shape their lifelong health, education and economic well-being. When young children have access to high-quality, nurturing early care and education, they are more likely to enter school ready to learn, succeed academically and reach their full potential. These benefits don’t just impact individual children—they strengthen families, communities and the economy for generations to come.
Yet, across the United States, families continue to struggle to find and afford quality child care. The early care and education sector faces severe shortages of providers and workers, driven by low wages, limited resources and the lingering effects of the pandemic. This crisis doesn’t just affect parents trying to balance work and caregiving—it costs the U.S. economy an estimated $122 billion annually in lost earnings.
Recognizing these challenges, states are taking action to build stronger, more sustainable early childhood systems. In Mississippi, the Department of Human Services (MDHS) has introduced a first-of-its-kind quality support badging system called ELEVATE—an initiative designed to help providers enhance their services and support families in making informed decisions about high-quality care for their early learners.
WHAT IS ELEVATE?
ELEVATE is a quality support badging system designed to enhance early childhood education programs in Mississippi by providing consistent, equitable and individualized resources and support. It is a partnership between child care providers and the MDHS Division of Early Childhood Care and Development (DECCD) to help child care centers provide the best care and education possible.
The system is funded through more than $30 million awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through its Preschool Development Grant – Birth through Five (PDG B-5).
Through ELEVATE, providers can earn 12 foundational “badges” that can be displayed at the care center or virtually on their website to certify that they have received training and achieved competency or skill in a particular area.
“Our child care programs work very hard to educate and care for Mississippi’s children, and they are a great resource for Mississippi’s working families,” DECCD Director Chad Allgood said in a release. “They need our support, but more than that, they deserve recognition for what they do. ELEVATE will give them both.”
WHO IS ELEVATE FOR?
Initially, the system is focused on child care facilities that are participating in the Child Care Payment Program (CCPP) before it expands to other providers.
ELEVATE provides child care professionals with resources such as personalized coaching, group training, on-site assistance and professional development.
The system is the result of recommendations from a September 2022 report by the Mississippi Child Care Quality Support System (QSS) Project aimed at enhancing early childhood education. The project was a collaborative effort involving 19 child care providers, 25 early childhood professionals and input from parents, with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF).
HOW IS PROGRESS MEASURED?
The ELEVATE program will be implemented over a three-year period. During the first year, providers will work to earn the foundational “Staff-Child Interaction” badge, which includes training modules designed to enhance teachers’ skills in delivering high-quality care and education in child care classrooms.
Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) observers currently are stationed across the state of Mississippi. They are trained and certified to go into the field to work with child care providers in obtaining their badges.
The second- and third-year metrics are being developed in collaboration with child care providers, families and policy makers.
WHY IT MATTERS
High-quality care helps children learn, grow and build a foundation for lifelong success.
Mississippi’s innovative quality badging system offers a holistic approach that strengthens family and provider input to ensure the early care and education system is more responsive to all children and families’ needs.
“ELEVATE is an example of how Mississippi is leading the way in reimagining child care support systems,” said Todd Klunk, WKKF program officer. “By centering the voices of providers and families, this initiative ensures that every child—regardless of their background or circumstances—has access to the high-quality early learning experiences they need to thrive.”
By elevating the field and the professionals within it, Mississippi is taking an important step toward a stronger, more sustainable early childhood education system.
LEARN MORE
- Recommendations from Child Care Providers for a New Mississippi Child Care Support System
- Mississippi Lift
- MDHS Division of Early Childhood Care and Development
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