Alaska Invests in Retaining Child Care Workforce

ROOTS program aims to keep experienced early educators on the job and provide stability for families

Apr. 8, 2026 at 10:58pm

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A dreamy, out-of-focus photograph showing the hands of a young child playing with colorful wooden blocks and other educational toys, with a blurred background of other children's activities visible.The ROOTS program aims to provide stability and support for Alaska's child care workforce, ensuring young children have consistent, experienced caregivers.Anchorage Today

The Alaska House is considering a $7.5 million investment in the Retaining Our Outstanding Teachers Stipends (ROOTS) program, which would help child care providers keep experienced early educators on staff and reduce high turnover rates that disrupt children's care and development.

Why it matters

Constant turnover in child care centers negatively impacts young children's sense of security and ability to learn, while also creating challenges for working parents and employers. Investing in the ROOTS program is a practical way for Alaska to support its child care infrastructure, keep families employed, and recognize the crucial role of early childhood educators.

The details

The ROOTS program would provide stipends to help child care centers retain their most experienced teachers, who often leave the field due to low wages and high stress despite the important work they do caring for infants, toddlers, and young children. Across Alaska, families are struggling to find reliable child care as programs continue to close or scale back operations, in part due to staffing shortages. The ROOTS program aims to protect child care capacity, support working families, and demonstrate Alaska's commitment to valuing early education.

  • The Alaska House is currently considering the $7.5 million investment in the ROOTS program.
  • If funded, the ROOTS program would be included in Alaska's FY27 operating budget.

The players

ROOTS program

A proposed $7.5 million investment by the Alaska House to provide stipends and support to help child care providers retain experienced early childhood educators.

thread

A statewide organization in Alaska that works to advance child development and early childhood education outcomes.

Kevin Berry

A father of three, an economist, and the board president at thread.

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What they’re saying

“When child care programs cannot keep staff, families lose care. Parents miss work or leave jobs. Employers lose reliable workers. Children lose consistency. This is not an abstract policy debate. It is part of daily life for thousands of Alaskans.”

— Kevin Berry, Board President, thread

“Investing in ROOTS is a practical way for Alaska to help kids, families and our economy. It would help protect child care capacity, help families keep working and help employers keep people on the job. Just as important, it would show that Alaska is serious about valuing early education and the people who make it possible.”

— Kevin Berry, Board President, thread

What’s next

If the $7.5 million investment in the ROOTS program is included in Alaska's FY27 operating budget, the program would be implemented to provide stipends and support to help child care providers retain experienced early childhood educators.

The takeaway

Investing in the stability and retention of Alaska's child care workforce through the ROOTS program is a crucial step to support young children's development, enable families to work, and strengthen the state's economy by protecting its child care infrastructure.