RecognizeB5: VQB5 Educator Incentive
From 2019 through 2025, RecognizeB5 provided a financial incentive to help attract and retain eligible early childhood educators in publicly-funded child care centers and family day homes. During this time period, RecognizeB5 supported thousands of child care and family day home educators during Virginia’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Successes of the RecognizeB5 Program
- Since 2019, $106 million was distributed to educators through RecognizeB5.
- The number of educators impacted increased over time, with 2,000 in 2019-2020 to approximately 16,000 in 2024-2025.
- Several studies have been conducted on the impact of RecognizeB5 which continue to help Virginia better understand the early educator workforce and the impact of programs like RecognizeB5.
- RecognizeB5 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)/Spanish
Status of RecognizeB5 as of July 2025
As of July 2025, there is no available funding for RecognizeB5 through either the Virginia State Budget or through federal funding sources. This means that there will not be an educator incentive in 2025-2026. Additional details can be found in the 2025-2026 VQB5 Guidelines Section 7.6.
Additional questions about RecognizeB5 can be sent to vqb5@doe.virginia.gov or visit the RecognizeB5 Help Center.