The strong economy and low unemployment have made it easier to secure higher paying jobs outside of childcare. An additional concern is whether new teachers have the training and experience that they need in order to provide high quality care. Child care program directors are increasingly reporting difficulty finding qualified applicants to fill staff vacancies. In addition, it appears that the qualifications of those entering the field are actually declining. There is thus a dual problem.
Research clearly demonstrates that education begins long before children enter elementary school.
The years from infancy through preschool provide an important foundation for all that follows. The quality of these early experiences, including the quality of experiences in child care settings, does matter. Children attending high quality early childhood programs are more likely to enter elementary school with the cognitive, language, and social skills they need to succeed. State regulations can help assure that programs meet the ratios and group sizes that have been linked to better quality and more positive child outcomes. However, it is unlikely that the majority of children will receive truly high quality programming without also assuring that the teaching staff is well qualified and that turnover is low.