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Child-Care Work Becoming “Unworkable”

Child-care workers are quitting rapidly, a red flag for the economy
South Shore Stars early childhood program in Weymouth, Mass., received zero applicants this summer for its preschool teacher positions. It was a big change…
www.post-gazette.com

In a new report this past week, President Joe Biden’s Treasury Department called the current child-care system “unworkable” with high costs for parents, low wages for workers and not enough spots for kids.

For years, there have been calls to pay child-care workers more, as the median pay in the industry – $25,460 a year, according to the Labor Department – is below the poverty line for a family of four.

Ms. Roberts, the former child care worker who quit in June, grew up dreaming of becoming a teacher. But she says it was disheartening to learn that day care workers with 20 years more experience than her still made less than $15 an hour. During the pandemic when she had to get toddlers to keep their masks on and not touch each other, she was given a raise of 15 cents per hour.

Our country needs to look at what we really value. We should value our youngest learners,” Ms. Cover said. “Our youngest kids should be cared for and educated in settings that are no less than what they receive in K-12 school districts.”

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