The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all students; however, its impact has been particularly devastating for students of color, students from low-income families, English learners, and other marginalized children and youth. As transmission rates decline and vaccination rates increase in California, many are eager to return to normalcy, but we must all recognize that even the prepandemic normal was not working for all students. The 2021–22 school year, therefore, constitutes a critical opportunity for schools to offer students, families, and educators a restorative restart.

This paper assesses the perspectives and experiences of stakeholders on San Francisco County’s CARES program, a childcare retention–incentive program. Year 2 saw over a threefold increase in the number of stipends awarded, but recipients felt the program couldn't address ECE staff retention/turnover alone. Solutions need to be implemented within a larger system of support, raising public awareness, expanding professional development opportunities, and exerting pressure on policymakers for sustained funding to augment ECE staff salaries.