The proposed resolution declares an emergency regarding the need to amend the Day Care Policy Act of 1979 to update the minimum salaries for assistant and lead teachers in child development facilities. This amendment is necessary for these facilities to participate in the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Program, which aims to address the historical underpayment of early childhood educators. The resolution highlights the importance of these educators in providing foundational skills to children and supporting working families, while also acknowledging the financial challenges faced by the program due to insufficient funding.

To address these challenges, the resolution outlines the establishment of the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund and the recommendations made by the Early Childhood Educator Equitable Compensation Task Force for a new compensation scale. The Council has previously enacted temporary measures to adjust salaries, but ongoing financial pressures have necessitated further amendments to ensure that the updated salary structure is in place by December 31, 2025. The resolution emphasizes the urgency of adopting these changes to maintain the viability of the program within the constraints of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.