The Biden administration has proposed a new plan that could boost the salaries of low-paid early childhood teachers caring for the country’s poorest children. However, this could potentially lead to a reduction in enrollment at some centers.
The proposed federal rule from the Health and Human Services agency aims to address staffing shortages and raise the wages of Head Start teachers to match those of local public schoolteachers. The rule could increase wages by as much as $10,000 over the next seven years.
Anna Markowitz, a University of California Los Angeles professor, emphasized the consequences of low wages for early educators and highlighted the alarming turnover crisis in Head Start programs.
Head Start teachers, who are required to have a bachelor’s degree, currently make about $39,000 a year on average, which is far less than educators with similar credentials. The turnover has resulted in ballooning waitlists and classroom closures, affecting as many as 275,000 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers across the nation.
The raise in teacher salaries might lead to a reduction in the number of children enrolling in these programs unless Congress grants more funding. The proposed changes are said to be necessary to stabilize the Head Start program, which is facing a severe workforce shortage because staff can earn higher wages from other employers.
The long-term impact of these changes could lead to a significant transformation in the childcare sector, with educators being compensated at a fair level. The proposed rule is open for comments from the public until January 19th.
