Current Realities:

• One of the implications of the new licensing requirements will be that increased educational levels for teachers will be necessary to maintain current star ratings.
  • 30% of children are enrolled in 1-5 star-rated child care centers with at least 4 lead teacher education points. 
  • 36% of children are enrolled in 1-5 star–rated child care centers with at least 4 administrator education points
  • 44% of children are enrolled in 1-5 star-rated family child care homes with at least 4 education points
• Qualified early childhood educators are drastically undervalued, especially when comparing their wages to other professions. 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.
• Shortage of staff with appropriate qualifications.   Finding trained staff at the prevailing pay rate poses a challenge for child care facilities. Newly-hired teachers typically have fewer years of education and formal training than the teachers they are replacing.
• Continue education to child care operators (owners, directors) about the benefits of utilizing TEACH and TEACH benefit packages.   Those providers participating in Quality Improvement Services will be offered health screenings (physical exam, mammogram and vision screening) at no charge.
• CCS offered health screenings to child care providers, but are utilized by a small percentage of providers; however, it greatly benefited those who participated, per post surveys.
• Child Care Solutions provides Resource Teachers to child care facilities to assist in maintaining teacher/child ratios.   This augments the need for sick leave so that teachers who need it can take time off for illness.
• Resource Teachers and health benefits such as free health screenings for QIG participants impacts the turnover rate by allowing provisions for teachers to be out for illness or other needs and the provision of a free health screening can reduce costs possibly for health care.