One of my sweetest memories as a little girl was going to Mrs. Pennington’s Playschool in Hobbs. Even though it is among my earliest memories, I can still summon up the feeling of excitement. Going to play with other children, coloring, digging in the dirt, singing in a circle. Mrs. Pennington’s was more like Mother’s Day out for my mom (with three kids under age five) and others in a time when only about 32% of women were participants in the labor force. Mrs. Pennington loved us and loved what she was doing – all the while getting paid for it.
This was an affordable luxury for my mom and a way to catch her breath.
Today, quality childcare is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity. Until the pandemic, women made up more than 52% of the work force. In the last 70 years women have not only entered the workforce in greater numbers but have expanded their presence in almost every profession and occupation. Two-income families have increased dramatically, leading to an increased need for full-time childcare.
State creates early childhood and daycare system to meet modern workforce needs
Diane Denish
Corner to Corner
One of my sweetest memories as a little girl was going to Mrs. Pennington’s Playschool in Hobbs. Even though it is among my earliest memories, I can still summon up the feeling of excitement. Going to play with other children, coloring, digging in the dirt, singing in a circle. Mrs. Pennington’s was more like Mother’s Day out for my mom (with three kids under age five) and others in a time when only about 32% of women were participants in the labor force. Mrs. Pennington loved us and loved what she was doing – all the while getting paid for it.
This was an affordable luxury for my mom and a way to catch her breath.
Today, quality childcare is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity. Until the pandemic, women made up more than 52% of the work force. In the last 70 years women have not only entered the workforce in greater numbers but have expanded their presence in almost every profession and occupation. Two-income families have increased dramatically, leading to an increased need for full-time childcare.
With the changes, increased demand, and fewer options, childcare has become expensive and unaffordable. And for years, childcare has been undervalued. In New Mexico we have a chance to remedy this and pay attention to the most critical time in kids’ lives – the first five years.
Thanks to the Legislature, the American Rescue package, and the proposed passage of the Reconciliation Act, we can focus on necessary elements to improve childcare and early education. That includes quality and affordability for childcare, additional money for pre-K, expanded workforce training, and professional development and expansion of home visiting for families with young children.
State creates early childhood and daycare system to meet modern workforce needs
Diane Denish
Corner to Corner
One of my sweetest memories as a little girl was going to Mrs. Pennington’s Playschool in Hobbs. Even though it is among my earliest memories, I can still summon up the feeling of excitement. Going to play with other children, coloring, digging in the dirt, singing in a circle. Mrs. Pennington’s was more like Mother’s Day out for my mom (with three kids under age five) and others in a time when only about 32% of women were participants in the labor force. Mrs. Pennington loved us and loved what she was doing – all the while getting paid for it.
This was an affordable luxury for my mom and a way to catch her breath.
Today, quality childcare is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity. Until the pandemic, women made up more than 52% of the work force. In the last 70 years women have not only entered the workforce in greater numbers but have expanded their presence in almost every profession and occupation. Two-income families have increased dramatically, leading to an increased need for full-time childcare.
With the changes, increased demand, and fewer options, childcare has become expensive and unaffordable. And for years, childcare has been undervalued. In New Mexico we have a chance to remedy this and pay attention to the most critical time in kids’ lives – the first five years.
Thanks to the Legislature, the American Rescue package, and the proposed passage of the Reconciliation Act, we can focus on necessary elements to improve childcare and early education. That includes quality and affordability for childcare, additional money for pre-K, expanded workforce training, and professional development and expansion of home visiting for families with young children.
Addressing these issues will strengthen and grow the mixed-delivery model of public and private centers that works for New Mexico. We have the tools to build what we need.
In 2019 the Legislature created the Early Education and Care Department with a small $1 million appropriation for startup. Money could be focused on services to jumpstart kids and families, and to prepare them for a successful educational journey. Prevention and preparation versus intervention in later years was the goal.
In 2020 Rep. Doreen Gallegos,(D-Las Cruces, spearheaded and passed with support of Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, the establishment of the Early Education Trust Fund with a $300 million appropriation. According to Legislative Finance Committee projections, the fund will grow to $1.5 billion over the next two years and $2.3 billion or more in five years.
Add to that the $435 million received from the American Rescue package, and the additional money in the Build Back Better reconciliation package – we have the money.
What will this money do? Where will it go?
No family will spend more than 7% of their income on childcare, making it affordable. Money for training the workforce will go to New Mexico’s community colleges and four-year universities offering associates and four-year degrees. Innovative Projects like the Wonder School that offer back-office support, technical and business support, will be more readily available to the 600-plus childcare centers, family group homes, and other providers. Money for bricks and mortar to build capacity is there too.
And most importantly, money will be available to create pay equity across the public-private system of care, helping to recruit the 6,000 additional workers.
We can recruit people like Mrs. Pennington who want to give kids the love, quality care, early learning skills, and a safe place – if they can earn good wages. I believe there are lots of eager Mrs. Penningtons out there watching and waiting for it to happen.
Link: https://www.abqjournal.com/2433919/bold-steps-to-boost-early-childhood-educator-pay.html