Research:

• Quality preschool programs lead to short and long-term academic success. Studies repeatedly find that children involved in high quality early childhood programs are more advanced socially, cognitively, and grammatically than their peers who have not attended these early childhood programs.
  • The North Carolina-based Abecedarian Early Childhood Intervention Project found that at age 21, participants were twice as likely to still be in school or to have attended a four-year college.
  • The Chicago Child-Parent Center Program found that by age 20, participants in the quality early education program were 28% more likely to graduate from high school
  • A 37-year longitudinal study of the Perry Preschool Program found that at-risk children who received quality early care and education for two years experienced significant improvements that lasted until at least age 40. Compared to their at-risk peers, they were more likely to graduate high school, maintain employment and own homes. They are less likely to need special education, receive welfare or be arrested.  
  • A report by the Institute of Medicine and National Academy of Sciences entitled “From Neurons to Neighborhoods” (5) has highlighted the scientific evidence regarding the relationship between early experiences, brain development and school readiness.

Current Realities:

• There is a high demand for and a short supply of early learning programs for infants and toddlers. 55% of all requests are from families seeking infant and toddler programs.
• Less than 19% of child care facilities provide care before 6:00 a.m. or after 6:30 p.m., while only 15% percent offer 24 hour care.
• According to the study entitled “Children with Special Needs in NC Child Care Programs,” 44% of the programs enrolled at least one child with either an individualized education plan or is in the process of having his/her special needs identified.
• 57 % of children with special/developmental needs from low income families are enrolled in 4- or 5- star rated child care programs.
• According to the 2005 US Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 24 occupations out of 350 surveyed reported having lower average wages than early childhood educators.   The average annual wage for early childhood educators in Cumberland was $16,400, which pales in comparison to kindergarten teacher’s salary’s of $35,270. Not surprisingly, given this low pay, turnover in the child care field is high, averaging 22 percent, and benefits are often limited or non-existent. Unless the trend is reversed, fewer people will enter the field. And qualified workers will continue to leave child care facilities for higher pay offered by schools expanding programs for 4 year olds.
• The most recent PBIS report shows that
  • PLA40:   the average star rating for children in all regulated programs is 3.08 as compared to 3.20 in 2005.   Of the children in regulated programs, 34% are in 4 and 5-star programs compared to 41% in 2005.
  • PLA 50:   the average star rating for children receiving subsidy in regulated programs is 3.09 as compared to 3.34 in 2005.   Of the children in regulated programs, 34% are in 4 and 5-star programs compared to 50% in 2005
  • PLA 60: the average star rating for children with special/developmental needs receiving subsidy in regulated programs is 3.56 under the required minimum rate of 4.00. Of these children in regulated programs, 57% are in 4 and 5-star programs which is under the minimum of 75%.
• Preliminary data shows that the PLA 40 is decreasing.
• Turning the data around will require that this burden be shared by all funded programs and not just the few that have this as a primary code.
• Education to providers and parents/students in these funded activities about quality child care and higher rated licensure impact has been an important component of raising the minimum standard.