Early childhood education centers in rural Arkansas are facing a shortage of qualified workers but a nonprofit is stepping in to help.

The industry is plagued with low pay and high turnover, according to a study from the University of Arkansas.

Ashley Steed, Arkansas state director for the nonprofit Save the Children, said her organization hopes to increase the early education workforce through its Rural Childcare Network program.

"This goal is to increase childcare availability and improve the quality of early childhood education," Steed explained. "We're doing this by collaborating with higher education partners to remove obstacles for people who are wanting to pursue careers in early learning."

She added without reliable workers, early learning and childcare facilities cannot give children the tools they need to succeed. The program pays for all or part of a student’s tuition and provides a stipend for books and other materials. The network is a nationwide initiative.

Karen Harrison, lead adviser of workforce development for Save the Children, said educating more qualified teachers and childcare specialists will help parents in rural areas find dependable services. It could also help with job shortages in remote areas.

"We're really trying to increase the childcare availability for those families that are wanting to work and those families that are wanting to go to school," Harrison emphasized. "We know that the return on investment for an early childhood educator is significant in rural communities."

Steed added when kids receive an early education, it increases their chances of success in the future.

"This sets the foundation for their lifetime of achievement," Steed underscored. "Children that don't have access to high-quality education are 25% more likely to drop out of school and 60% more likely to never attend college."

Source: Public News Service