Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/strategies-for-achieving-a-quality-program/5006743/
High quality in early childhood programs is a necessity. It is also a luxury. It is a necessity because we know, now, that only quality early childhood programs can make a difference in the lives of young children, particularly children at risk. But it is a luxury because it will require a substantial investment to overcome the barriers to establishing the kind of programs we want for young children.The barriers to achieving a quality program are well known to every center director. Heading the list is high staff turnover due to the low pay and low status accorded to child care workers. Because teachers leave the profession, there is an ongoing need for staff training. Inadequate funding for staff development and a lack of practical materials work against program quality.
On the surface, the prospects for adequate funding to overcome these barriers look hopeful. The need for quality child care is receiving a lot of attention. Even Newsweek recently ran a cover story on "How Kids Learn." But as Jim Greenman points out in his article, "Living in the Real World" (Exchange, February 1989), a distinction still is made between child care and ...