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Managing America: Education

TheWeekInCongress.com (TM)

Week Ending May 4, 2006

H.CON.RES.112 Supporting the goals and ideas of a National Child Care Worthy Wage Day.

This resolution and preamble frames the conclusion that child daycare workers are  underpaid in the context of the data that 63% of US children under five are not in the care of their parents during all or part of the day while the parents work.

About 2.3 million daycare workers fill in the gap at about $18,180 per year with only a third having health insurance and fewer have a pension plan. The dire pay and benefits accounts for the 30% turnover in the industry the preamble said.

Nevertheless the job of helping young children to develop their social, emotional, physical and cognitive skills is an important one and the success of the children is directly linked to the quality of the daycare worker.

The pay should be commensurate with the importance of the job and the Day this resolution establishes supports that sentiment.

Sponsor:  Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY-4^th)

Vote: Passed House 345 to 73 with 1 voting 'Present' (RC 271)

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

Earmark Certification:   Not applicable to this resolution.

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MORE INFORMATION

Whereas approximately 63 percent of the Nation's children under 5 are in nonparental care during part or all of the day while their parents work;

Whereas the early care and education industry employs more than 2,300,000 workers;

Whereas the average salary of early care and education workers is $18,180 per year, and only 1/3 have health insurance and even fewer have a pension plan;

Whereas the quality of early care and education programs is directly linked to the quality of early childhood educators;

Whereas the turnover rate of early childhood program staff is roughly 30 percent per year, and low wages and lack of benefits, among other factors, make it difficult to retain high quality educators who have the consistent, caring relationships with young children that are important to children's development;

Whereas the compensation of early childhood program staff should be commensurate with the importance of the job of helping the young children of the Nation develop their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills, and to help them be ready for school;

Whereas providing adequate compensation to early childhood program staff should be a priority, and resources may be allocated to improve the compensation of early childhood educators to ensure that quality care and education are accessible for all families;

Whereas additional training and education for the early care and education workforce is critical to ensuring high-quality early learning environments;

Whereas child care workers should receive compensation commensurate with such training and experience; and

Whereas the Center for the Child Care Workforce, a project of the American Federation of Teachers Educational Foundation, with support by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and other early childhood organizations, recognizes May 1 as National Child Care Worthy Wage Day: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the Congress supports the goals and ideas of National Child Care Worthy Wage Day, and urges public officials and the general public to honor early childhood care and education staff and programs in their communities and to work together to resolve the early childhood care and education staff compensation crisis.

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