Virtual Event: What Is Moving the Needle on ECE Compensation

Registration Closed

**Live Attendance Required to earn CEUs** (complete all requirements within 30 days of event).

Leadership to Meet Family Needs and Improve Services and Systems: why and how to exercise leadership in advocacy, policy, and sharing knowledge and resources with families, colleagues, and the general public to promote optimal outcomes for expectant parents, young children, and their families and caregivers

What Is Moving the Needle on ECE Compensation

March 18, 2026, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET

Special Member Exclusive follow-on discussion, 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM ET

Compensation remains one of the most urgent and complex challenges facing the early childhood education field. While awareness is high, progress has been uneven, and not all approaches lead to meaningful or sustainable change.

This Virtual Member Event offers a deep dive into early childhood educator compensation, grounded in what is showing measurable progress across states and communities. Drawing on the work of the Commission on Professional Excellence in Early Childhood Education, ZERO TO THREE’s Sarah LeMoine and Dr. Pamela Truelove-Walker of The TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health will share concrete examples, policy pathways, and lessons learned from jurisdictions that are advancing compensation in meaningful ways.

Participants will explore key strategies aligned with the Unifying Framework for the Early Childhood Education Profession, including parity, benefits, data infrastructure, and educator engagement. Join us to focus not only on what is changing, but also on how early childhood professionals can meaningfully participate in shaping, informing, and sustaining compensation efforts in their states and communities.

This conversation is designed to move beyond aspiration to action, while recognizing that progress requires sustained investment, collaboration, and accountability.

Learner objectives: As a result of participating in this event, learners will be able to…

Identify key policy and funding strategies that have contributed to measurable improvements in early childhood educator compensation.
Recognize core principles of the Unifying Framework that guide fair and equitable compensation across early childhood education settings.
Select appropriate ways early childhood professionals can engage in and contribute to compensation reform efforts.

Member Exclusive w/ZERO TO THREE, 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM ET

After the webinar, ZERO TO THREE Members are invited to stay for a 30-minute, members-only facilitated debrief. This reflective conversation offers space to process key takeaways, share insights, and connect with your ZERO TO THREE community.

Together, we will reflect on what the examples shared suggest about progress on compensation, what barriers remain, and how members can stay engaged in this work without carrying it alone. The debrief will focus on shared learning, collective responsibility, and sustaining momentum for change.

Dr. Pamela Truelove-Walker

Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE) Strategy

The TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health

Dr. Pamela Truelove-Walker joined the TMW Center in 2023. As Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE) Strategy, she leads the testing, development and implementation of the Center’s tools for supporting ECE practitioners.

Prior to this role, she spent six years working with the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education, most recently as Senior Director of Early Learning and Early Education, providing state level leadership and oversight for systems alignment of all early childhood initiatives. Before the ADECE, Pamela spent almost 20 years administering and providing professional development support for university-based lab schools, Head Start, Early Head Start, faith-based preschool, and state-funded pre-k. Additionally, she has served as adjunct faculty for a major university, and was named a top-3 national finalist for Director of the Year by the Association for Early Learning Leaders.

Pamela lives in Alabama with her husband, Johnny. They have two adult children, Michael and LaTatia’ and one absolutely perfect grandchild, Ashtyn. Her favorite children’s book is “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch.

Sarah LeMoine

Senior Director, Professional Innovations

ZERO TO THREE

Sarah has focused her career on building quality professional development opportunities, systems, and policies. Her extensive experience ranges from direct service work to national-level research, writing, curricula design and development, technical assistance and training, policy analysis and development, leadership, and advocacy. With over 30 years of experience, the list of resources she has created is considerable. Notably, Sarah co-authored ZERO TO THREE’s Critical Competencies for Infant-Toddler Educators™, an extensive suite of professional development tools for early childhood professionals and the discussion paper Beyond Reflection: Advancing Reflective Supervision/Consultation to the Next Level. Sarah leads Professional Innovation’s trainings, the program development for the ZERO TO THREE LEARN Conference, and co-leads ZERO TO THREE’s Membership program, which provides early childhood professionals with cross-discipline perspectives, deep connections, content resources and premium experiences. Perks also include discounts for materials, monthly virtual events, and a supportive online community. Being a Member connects a community of professionals who all care deeply about serving babies and toddlers and their families.

Sarah is honored to serve on numerous national and international advisory boards and workgroups to advance early childhood professional systems and practice, including as ZERO TO THREE’s representative on the Commission on Professional Excellence in Early Childhood Education (ECE Commission), and to have spoken at hundreds of conferences nationwide. 

**Live Attendance Required** (complete within 30 days of event). All registrants will have 30-day access to the session recording.

ZERO TO THREE is pleased to offer Continuing Education Units for a wide range of learning events, both in person and on line.

Contact hours and CEUs are automatically added to your registration for no additional charge. Registrants can earn up to 0.1 CEU or 1 Contact hour for attending this event. Continuing Education Units are awarded with live attendance, completed session evaluation, and a passing quiz score of 75% or greater.

Learner Objectives:

Identify key policy and funding strategies that have contributed to measurable improvements in early childhood educator compensation.
Recognize core principles of the Unifying Framework that guide fair and equitable compensation across early childhood education settings.
Select appropriate ways early childhood professionals can engage in and contribute to compensation reform efforts.

Contact hours offered may vary per discipline. For more information regarding ZERO TO THREE CEUs, please visit: https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/1657-earn-ceus-from-zero-to-three. Please note: A computer or electronic device with internet connection is required for successful completion. This session will be hosted for one hour and includes a brief introduction, 45 mins of content based teaching, and 10 to 15 minutes of Q and A. Questions can be posted throughout the session, and the presenter will address as many as possible.

Additional Details:

ZERO TO THREE is accredited as an Authorized Provider of Continuing Education and Training by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). In obtaining this accreditation, we have demonstrated compliance with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognized internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices. As the official standard for continuing education and training, IACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are recognized by a wide range of organizations, including professional associations, regulatory boards, corporations, and universities.

Though IACET CEUs are widely accepted, it is up to each organization to choose whether or not it will accept them. For this reason, we strongly advise that you confirm in advance if a particular body accepts IACET CEUs. To view a list of companies, regulatory boards, and organizations that have reported to accept the IACET CEU credit, please click here. This list is not exhaustive, nor does it guarantee that an IACET CEU will automatically be accepted.

*Presenters have affirmed that they do not have proprietary interest in products, instruments, devices, services or materials discussed in this course, and have confirmed that they have not been compensated in relation to this presentation.