Becoming Our Own Best Advocates

[...]Child Care Aware of America and the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment collaborated to produce a short video that answers the question in its title: "Why Do Parents Spend So Much on Child Care, Yet Early Childhood Educators Earn So Little?" You can see the video and read more information here: https://bit.ly/2z71RuZ. Imagine if parents were able to better understand how many early childhood educators are going back to school, taking classes, earning degrees, finding mentors, and improving their practice while (in most cases) barely making minimum wage, going without health insurance, and working another job to make ends meet. Over the next year, you will have opportunities to share your story; to help ensure an accurate census that counts all kids; to empower parents and educators in your community to vote; and to join conversations on social media and in town halls with parents and colleagues across the United States. Core Beliefs * Excellence and Innovation-We are imaginative risk takers willing to challenge assumptions while being accountable to our mission and fiscally responsible. * Transparency-We act with openness and clarity. * Reflection-We consider multiple sources of evidence and diverse perspectives to review past performance, note progress and successes, and engage in continuous quality improvement. * Equity and Opportunity-We advocate for policies, practices, and systems that promote full and inclusive participation.