THE MOMENT & THE OPPORTUNITY
In Colorado, a growing number of educators are making an impossible calculation:
Can I afford to stay in the profession I love and raise a family at the same time?
For many, the answer is no.
1 in 5
Educators at risk of leaving the profession for financial reasons
$15,000+/year
Average cost of early childhood care in Colorado
18% – 25%
Average percentage of household income spent on early childhood care in Colorado
7%
Percentage of household income considered affordable by the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Addressing the Childcare Crisis in Colorado
Strengthening Colorado’s Education Workforce
The cost of early childhood care has quietly become one of the most significant barriers to educator retention. Not because educators lack commitment, but because the system requires them to absorb costs that outpace what their profession can sustain.
- This is not simply a childcare issue.
- It is a workforce issue.
- A systems issue.
- A community stability issue.
The John and Janet Buckner Education Fund was established to meet this moment with clarity and discipline, advancing a model that strengthens educators, supports families, emboldens communities, and expands access to early learning.
Early childhood investments
generate 7–13 times long term returns.
- Increased high school graduation rates
- Higher college attendance and completion
- Stronger executive functioning and social-emotional skills
- Higher lifetime earnings
- Improved health outcomes
- Reduced involvement in the criminal justice system
Beyond economics, this is about timing.
“Our family has always lived by the credo, not a hand out, a hand up! This isn’t charity. It’s a targeted infrastructure investment in the education workforce.”
– Janet P. Buckner, Founder and President
We welcome engagement with:
1
Subject Matter Experts
To refine program design, strengthen impact evaluation, inform policy alignment, and ensure our funding model reflects both rigor and sustainability.
2
Strategic Partners
School systems, early childhood providers, employers, and research institutions seeking coordinated solutions that address workforce and family stability together.
3
Board Members and Advisors
Leaders committed to governance excellence, fiscal oversight, and expanding the Fund’s reach and credibility.
4
Philanthropists and Donors
Those ready to deploy catalytic capital that produces measurable educational and economic returns.
John and Janet Buckner Education Fund 