Most children in the U.S. spend time in some form of early childhood education (ECE) program prior to entering kindergarten. In fact, children spend an average of 25 hours per week in nonparental care, including center-based care and informal family, friend and neighbor care. Children develop a foundation for learning during these early years, so access to high-quality child care and pre-K programs has a significant impact on their future outcomes, including school readiness. Recognizing this connection, states and the federal government continue to increase investment in ECE programs. Increasingly, state policymakers are exploring ways to strengthen the quality of publicly funded ECE programs for all students. Research shows that educator knowledge and training are two of the strongest indicators of quality in an ECE program so efforts to strengthen the workforce are a critical strategy. Initial and ongoing professional support for the ECE workforce are limited compared with K-12 educators, leading to challenges in recruiting and retaining staff. Lack of access to high-quality ECE programs with qualified staff may make it difficult to realize the positive outcomes and return on investment that policymakers hope for when investing in ECE. This Policy Brief identifies five policy levers, in addition to funding opportunities, that states employ to attract, support and retain quality talent in the early education workforce.