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Aid for the Workforce
November 21, 2007
The world is round so that friendship may encircle it.
-Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
-Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
To address this shortage, Congresswoman Hirono's legislation helps states take steps to recruit and retain early educators. She proposes providing federal grants to state task forces working on this problem.
"We can attract highly motivated and talented people into early education if we streamline professional development opportunities, open doors to early childhood education degree programs and raise salaries for preschool teachers and childcare workers," Congresswoman Hirono said.
Congresswoman Hirono, who serves on the House Education and Labor Committee, has introduced other legislation this year that also focuses on improving the quality of early childhood education. She introduced the Providing Resources Early for Kid Act, and her proposal to forgive student loans for graduates pursuing careers in early childhood education was included in the College Cost Reduction and Access Act that recently became law.
"I am working hard to improve the quality of early education because the early years are so essential in a child's development. Early education provides a foundation for learning and for success," Congresswoman Hirono explained.
A copy of the text of her floor statement is available here.
The Working Forum on Men in Early Childhood Education, taking place in Honolulu, Hawaii on May 20 - 23, 2008, will reflect the global surge of interest in changing roles for men and women in the care and education of young children. The Forum will create a global meeting place where women and men from many cultures and nations will reflect on the value of gender balance in ECE, the benefits and barriers to men's full participation, and identification of actions to promote this important issue worldwide. If you register before November 30, 2007, you can take advantage of the discounted early bird registration fee.
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Comments (5)
Displaying All 5 CommentsNAEYC
United States
On behalf of NAEYC, thank you for informing everyone of Representative Hirono's early childhood workforce systems bill. I am pleased that she worked closely with NAEYC who formulated the workforce bill and that is has been adopted into the House Higher Education Act reauthorization in the committee markup. The companion bill has been adopted by the Senate (original bill sponsored by Senators Brown and Voinovich) in its Higher Education Act reauthorization.
NAEYC's Call to Action for the 110th Congress urged Congress to adopt a number of proposals relating to a stronger, better financed early childhood education workforce and we look forward to working with all members of Congress, the field and other stakeholders to reach that goal.
You can read NAEYC's Call to Action for the 110th Congress at http://www.naeyc.org/policy/federal/pdf/CALLtoACTION107Combo.pdf
Pittston, PA, United States
It is about time someone in government is getting the horse back in front of the cart. Good changes are occurring, but this is the step that can bring all the changes together to make quality childcare and education really happen everywhere.
Cobleskill Campus Child Care Center
Cobleskill, N.Y., United States
Forgiving student loans is a great start toward encouraging qualified people to enter the Early Childhood field. Attracting them is one thing but keeping them is another. Any man who may be interested in working with young children cannot financially pursue this career and support a family. Working toward increasing Child Care Workers wages is essential to retaining quality personal. At the same time, until Child Care Centers receive additional government or private funding to pay those salaries our goal is only partially completed. Child Care Centers know the value of qualified workers and want to pay a decent wage and maintain quality programs. Even if they are non-profit, they cannot survive without additional financial assistance to increase the pay of their child care providers. Let's fight for the wages our child care providers deserve and at the same time fight for additional funds to be allocated to Child Care Centers just for that purpose.
cuba, new york, United States
While I appreciate the efforts of all individuals who are trying to improve the Early Childhood Education programs, the paper work they create for 'accountability purposes' is truly unreal! It is not just in the Early Childhood Education area, but everywhere that government money is provided. It seems that the paper work is more important than actually doing the work - and sometimes there is not enough time to do both and as the saying goes - if it isn't written - it isn't done. I have worked in several 'government funded programs' where it is written and not done - someone needs to 'get real' about the paper work issue. When one is only 'allowed to work 40 hours per week, it is often not humanly possible to complete all the tasks assigned - and personally doing the work is more important to me than writing about somethint that actually did not happen - this is the main reason that I no longer work in any government funded program
United States
I have recently felt like throwing in the towel. The fight for quality care and field recognition is really just shadow boxing. I am thankful to read that there are those, outside of the field, that are hearing our battle cries. I know, in reality, that our work matters. Surrender is not really an option but it is refreshing to hear to there are others who are fighting for the cause.
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