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Spotlight on Teacher Wages
March 7, 2014
If people cannot write well, they cannot think well, and if they cannot think well, others will do their thinking for them.
-George Orwell

Here are excerpts of a Letter to the Editor of Exchange (full letter PDF) from Valora Washington, CEO of the Council for Professional Recognition:

"After watching President Obama’s recent State of the Union address in which he mentioned early childhood education as a top priority, called for a higher federal minimum wage of $10.10 over the next two years and, referred to income inequality as the 'defining challenge of our time,' I am compelled to shine a spotlight on an issue that, while not new, rarely gets the attention it deserves.

"As the chief executive officer for the Council for Professional Recognition, a national assessment and credentialing organization for early care and education practitioners, I have witnessed first-hand the paradoxical nature of teaching.  On one hand, according to the latest research, there is a direct correlation between a well-trained teacher workforce and the performance of our youngsters.  Yet, tragically, the compensation of early educators lags behind the rest of American society.  The initial findings from the October 2013 National Survey for Early Care and Education conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) showed that the median hourly wage for all center-based teachers and caregivers directly responsible for children age zero through five years was $10.60, which translates to about $22,000 annually....

"When we know that staff quality is partly defined by salary, we’ve turned our children — in their most formative years — over to a dedicated, yet underpaid workforce."

Note: The March/April issue of Exchange contains a summary of the National Survey for Early Care and Education.





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Comments (10)

Displaying 5 of 10 Comments   [ View all ]
Lori · March 08, 2014
Inspire
Camas, WA, United States


You do not this job for the money, when I was going to college on a grant they said needed to make at last $9, this is back in 1993. I just left a center making $10. I's not that the director didn't not to give me the raise she said l would occur after the first year, I was with her 3 years at the same rate. Since I were from the beginning and we we're a private owned I didn't gobble to much but because of a different reason I've left and starting a small at home business so I can make more money and envoy the house I pay for when I'm at work 50 hours a week. I can even include a gardening program in my yard and make more money easier day and less hours gone.

Francis · March 07, 2014
Denver, CO, United States


I totally agree with this letter. However, I am not sure why it was sent to the editors of CCIE. It needs to be sent to every congressperson and member of the administration. It is very ironic that that the only people whose eduction we do not subsidize are children birth to 5/6 years old. Even seniors, when they attend state colleges and universities, have part of their education subsidized by the taxpayer. I believe that the federal government should pay for programs for children birth to age 5/6 (but not necessarily run them), My own view is that the money should come from the huge farm bill. My slogan: subsidize children, not cows!

Francis · March 07, 2014
Denver, CO, United States


I totally agree with this letter. However, I am not sure why it was sent to the editors of CCIE. It needs to be sent to every congressperson and member of the administration. It is very ironic that that the only people whose eduction we do not subsidize are children birth to 5/6 years old. Even seniors, when they attend state colleges and universities, have part of their education subsidized by the taxpayer. I believe that the federal government should pay for programs for children birth to age 5/6 (but not necessarily run them), My own view is that the money should come from the huge farm bill. My slogan: subsidize children, not cows!

Diana Grisi · March 07, 2014
Mountain Lakes Country Day School
Mountain Lakes , NJ, United States


I applaud Ms. Washington and thank her for her efforts to address a situation that has gone largely unnoticed for far to long. Having been involved in early education for more than 20 years I can say that it has always been a challenge not just for myself but also for the many dedicated individuals who make sacrifices on a daily basis to be able to do the work they love. It's a shame that some of the other early childhood organizations that are held in such great esteem cannot join the Council for Professional Recognition on this issue.

Rosario Villasana · March 07, 2014
San Francisco, Ca, United States


As a field we must take a stronger stance on this key issue, I visit many centers struggling to maintain a high standard of quality care under challenging conditions. Most Teachers I encounter are fully aware of the great responsibility they are charged with and valiantly strive to meet the needs of the children. Yet, few fields have the accountability, the rigorous monitoring, the pressure for continuous training and education AND the low wages, lack of respect and lack of security. Most teachers don't even have a lunch room...I see teachers eating in crowded storage rooms or in the classroom at the child sized chairs and tables while children are napping! I often joke that if Wall Street was held to the standards of the ECE field our economy wouldn't be the mess that it is. Until there is economic justice for those who care for the next generation, we must not rest. I would support a concerted effort to double teachers starting salary, especially those taking care of the youngest children where continuity of care is essential. This is also where teachers who work 8 hours a day are also expected to take classes at night and attend weekend professional development.
Thank you for the post today.



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