About DEC's Working Conditions Support
Supportive working conditions are essential to delivering high‑quality early education. When educators feel valued and equipped in their work environment, they can more effectively engage with children, build meaningful relationships with families, and implement practices and policies that contribute to quality care.
DEC is using insights from early educators to identify and prioritize future investments that strengthen working conditions across the ECE workforce. In 2025 DEC partnered with the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) to assess working conditions in San Francisco using a research-validated tool called the Supportive Environmental Quality Underlying Adult Learning (SEQUAL) survey. Findings from the SEQUAL survey will help inform upcoming RFPs to improve workplace conditions and support educators.
You can read the full findings in the SEQUAL report linked below. A related brief, Black Early Educators Assess Their Working Conditions, highlights the experiences and perspectives of Black early educators in San Francisco.