The Center for the Child Care Workforce (CCW) started as the Child Care Employee Project in 1978. In the 1980's this project's first study was to link childcare workers compensation to the quality of education children recieved. The project became known as the CCW in 1997, and its focus became the issues of the child care workforce. Such issues include training and compensation. In an effort to expand and bring more attention to the child care workforce the CCW partnered with the American Federation of Teachers Educational Foundation (AFTEF) in 2002. Overall, the CCW's mission is to ensure high quality education for all children by supporting the early childhood workforce and giving them a voice.
The issue that caught my attention from the latest newsletter was the benefits of investing in high quality early childhood programs. The article talked about how high quality early childhood programs can close the achievement gap for at risk children. These children would be ready for school and develop proper social skills. The article goes on to suggest the economic benefits of high quality early childhood programs as well. Children who attend high quality programs go on to become valuable members of society by joining the workforce. They are less likely to go to jail or need government assistance programs. Providing funding now to early childhood programs will decrease the amount of money that states have to spend on jails, welfare, and special education programs in the future. It seems that the government has responded to this issue by providing $700 million to the Race To the Top program. This program is geared toward ensuring quality care for disadvantaged children in early childhood. The article states that funding and programs such as this are just the beginning to ensuring that all children receive quality care.
This issue resonates with me because I believe that all children have the right to a quality education. No child should be denied something so valuable because of the conditions in which they were born. I long for the day when high quality educational programs are made available for every child.
For more information about the Center for Child Care Workforce (CCW) visit:
http://www.ccw.org/
P.S.
On another note I finally established a contact with someone from another country. I can't wait to get started and learn more about his early childhood education experiences.
Krista,
ReplyDeleteAs always, I enjoyed your blog post this week. Your organization, The Center for the Child Care Workforce, sounds very interesting. I have heard of them before, but do not really know anything about them. I look forward to learning more from your blog. Your reason for picking this organization is an important one. I pray that in my lifetime I am able to see ALL children being able to recieve quality care and education, because they all deserve it.
Rhonda
I am glad to hear that you have established contact with someone, I just did myself on yesterday. I like the reasons that was listed for children who attend high quality centers. I am a strong believer that it so many benefits comes along with how you start a child off. Picking the right center for them is a great place to start. As a mother and a teacher with two kids I check into the backgroung of every center my children attend.
ReplyDeleteNIce blog Krista. I am a new fan of this particular organization because being an educator myself I feel that we need to be able to speak freely about certain things when it comes to the children. I am also excited to know that you have established contact because I still haven't heard back from anyone.
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