Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/the-more-things-change-.-.-./5021492/
It’s no secret to anyone in early care and education that the last five years have been a major financial challenge. Parents have lost jobs, moved to find jobs, or even if they have remained employed, looked for ‘cheaper’ care options (family, in many situations) in case they did become unemployed. To make matters worse, most states reduced subsidized child care by as much as 50% of prior entitlements. Even Head Start has taken huge hits, while being mandated to provide unfunded enhancements in programs.As we come to the end of 2013, the pundits tell us that the recession is over and much better times are upon us. The stock market is up, interest rates are low, the housing market is rallying, and the Gross National Product (GNP) is poised to surge in 2014�"2016. Much of that positive information may be right, but the one factor that remains stagnant is job growth. With no attempt at being Warren Buffett or Milton Friedman, I think it worth our while to examine this rosy prognostication from an early care and education perspective.
Consumer Spending: 20% of the wealthiest Americans constitute 38% of all consumer spending; that same group was 26% of consumer spending ...