Early childhood education is a vital part of our society. This current pandemic, COVID-19, has increased the awareness and demonstrated the importance of the early childhood education profession and the vital role it plays in society now more than ever. Right now, we are seeing some of the greatest economic challenges ever to the profession we all respect and honor.
The Bipartisan Policy Center in a national survey found that:
Across all provider types, 60% of programs are fully closed and not providing care to any children at the moment.
43% of those working remotely said they currently need child care.
Around half of parents (46%) are concerned that their current or previous provider would no longer be open and 37% are concerned that their child will have a different teacher.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children survey in March found the following in response to the COVID-19 pandemic:
30% of providers in the U.S. said they would not survive a closure of more than two weeks without significant public investment and support that would allow them to compensate and retain staff, pay rent or mortgages, and cover other fixed costs.
63% said they could survive closure for no more than a month without government help.
33% of respondents work in center-based child care, and another 53% work in family child care homes.
These are devastating statistics, especially as we fully recognize the surveys all occurred some time ago. Undoubtedly, the situation is now more severe.
We join with our allies in the early childhood education field to request that Congress authorize up to $50 billion in emergency stimulus funding to stabilize the sector and support the workforce after this crisis.
Throughout the health crisis, the early childhood field has shown its strength and value. The Wall Street Journal provides just one of thousands of examples: “[The owner] kept centers open for his few remaining customers: doctors, nurses and police officers who must work and might have nowhere else to send their children.”
The Council for Professional Recognition remains here for the entire field with online resources and other tools to help us through this pandemic. Most of all, our hearts go out to the entire early childhood education community as we look forward to safer and healthier days.
The Council for Professional Recognition applauds the critical investments in early care and education included in the Build Back Better Act. This historic move will help children return to stable, developmentally appropriate, high-quality care, and help parents,...
It’s the start of a new school year which means it’s a wonderful time to think about how you engage with your students’ parents. Below are five tips to think about when planning how to...
The morning sun lit a clear, blue sky as America started its day. Highways filled with traffic and railroads rumbled with trains. Planes soared into that cloudless sky, two from Boston, one from Newark and...
The Council for Professional Recognition recently announced plans to reimagine the process for earning its Child Development Associate® (CDA) credential. Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., the Council’s CEO, sat down to discuss what is in store...
The inaugural CounciLIVE season is packed with some of the foremost voices in early childhood education today. Covering trending topics and issues in our field, the live broadcast series debuted this month with a short,...
Clinton Boyd, Jr., Ph.D. is on a mission to empower Black dads. He knows the roadblocks they face because he became a father at the age of 15, is currently co-parenting an infant, and has...
There are several reasons why the CDA® credential is essential to people in early childhood education. First, it’s the most widely recognized credential in our field and an important step for teachers who want to...
In my last blog, I discussed why it’s important for center owners, administrators, teachers and parents to come together as a community to help ensure the most positive experiences for children. Today, I want to...
Jamal loved to play rhythms on toys when he was a young boy at Educare, a cutting-edge preschool on Chicago’s South Side. “It didn’t have to be a drum,” he says, like the one he...
Read our monthly e-newsletter and keep up to date on all Council programs and services, as well as the latest news in the world of early care and education. Subscribe today to stay connected with us. You’ll receive timely information on events, webinars, special promotions, and more.
