Low wages for childcare providers are hurting the well-being of San Mateo County’s students and families. A new report from the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment found that early educators in California, particularly Black educators, are more likely to live below the federal poverty line than other workers. This economic insecurity undermines both the health of educators and their students’ learning environment. The report also calculates the cost for developing a statewide early childhood education system that provides both quality early childhood education jobs and affordable childcare for families.