Update 4/23/26: Great news! The Tennessee General Assembly has passed the Early Education Workforce Development Act (SB 2404 / HB 2426)!
This is a strategic step forward to strengthen the pipeline of early educators — the workforce behind our workforce.
Last year the TECTA program was cut — eliminating a crucial source of funding for post-secondary education and training for early educators.
At the same time, Tennessee has many other powerful education and workforce resources — from high school career and technical education programs and dual enrollment, to Tennessee Promise and Reconnect scholarships, to apprenticeships and emerging opportunities like Workforce Pell. But too often, these resources aren’t fully aligned or accessible for early educators, especially in child care and preschool settings.
What this bill does:
✔️ Establishes a task force to better align and maximize existing workforce and education resources and identify gaps
✔️ Expands work-based learning by allowing child care and preschool programs to serve as clinical training sites for teacher candidates participating in registered apprenticeships
Our friend Leslie Cowell, Dean of the College of Education at Lipscomb University said about this bill:
By opening clinical experiences in birth-to-five settings, Tennessee is expanding access to the profession, strengthening the connection between educator preparation and employment, and building a more seamless, job-embedded pathway into teaching.
Big thank you to:
- The bill sponsors –Representative Mark White and Senator Dawn White,
- The TN Department of Education and TN Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and
- All the terrific advocates who understand and support the crucial role of early educators for children, families and our economy.
When we support early educators, we support working families, employers, and Tennessee’s future workforce.
The Challenge We Must Address
Tennessee has strong education and workforce tools that could better support early educators — but today they are not fully coordinated, and due to recent funding and program cuts there are resource gaps.
Across the state:
- Scholarships and postsecondary programs are underutilized
- High school and dual enrollment pathways lack consistent alignment
- Apprenticeships and work-based learning are not always accessible
- Training supports for child care providers have been reduced
Meanwhile, staffing shortages continue to limit access for families.
Without coordination, Tennessee is leaving workforce resources on the table – and importantly, resource gaps need to be addressed.
The Solution: Coordinate and Strengthen Workforce Development
SB 2404 / HB 2426 would create a temporary task force to align education and workforce systems around early educator career pathways and identify gaps.
It also expands work-based learning by allowing licensed child care and preschool programs to serve as clinical practice sites for apprenticeship-based preparation programs.
What you can do: Be a loud voice for little kids and families!
Your voice matters — and legislators need to hear directly from parents, employers, educators, and community leaders across Tennessee.
Take a moment now to email your state legislators and urge them to support clearing Tennessee’s child care waitlist by filling out the form below (2-3 minutes).
Before sending, consider adding one or two sentences about:
- Your experience as a parent, employer, provider, or community member
- How child care affordability affects your family, workplace, or community
Personal stories — even brief ones — make a powerful impact.
