DC council makes day care more expensive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I talked to a lot of people about this and pretty much everyone thinks it is dumb.

What was the backstory on the legislation? Who favored it?

Well that settles it then. Thanks for solving this. LOL.

[Anonymous]

So the policy for child care centers and home base is below I do not see anything about a 4 year degree for a teacher. It only mentions AA or others. I am lost where you get this logic from

https://osse.dc.gov/page/education-requirements-early-childhood-workforce-resources-and-supports

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the policy for child care centers and home base is below I do not see anything about a 4 year degree for a teacher. It only mentions AA or others. I am lost where you get this logic from

https://osse.dc.gov/page/education-requirements-early-childhood-workforce-resources-and-supports

OP getting folks worked up for nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So the policy for child care centers and home base is below I do not see anything about a 4 year degree for a teacher. It only mentions AA or others. I am lost where you get this logic from

https://osse.dc.gov/page/education-requirements-early-childhood-workforce-resources-and-supports

OP getting folks worked up for nothing.

the associates degree requirement is absurd

[Anonymous]

You have to have an associates degree in childhood development or have 60 hours of higher education of which at least twelve are in childhood development, or you have to be enrolled in a child development degree program and have a special license (and you must not brain the degree within 4 years or you will lose the special license). It's a pretty steep requirement and it has never been clear why DC went this route instead of just requiring stricter licensing for centers and teachers, which would be the obvious way to ensure minimum knowledge and skill in this industry.

I think one outcome of this is that it will push many highly qualified caregivers toward nanny jobs instead of center-based jobs. I think you'll see centers hiring younger workers because it will be a career path someone has to choose when young, so they can do the associates degree perhaps while still living at home and when their expenses are low. So I think you'll see centers hiring more "green" teachers because they will have the academic qualifications, and more experienced caregivers working in private homes.

Also some centers will absolutely close, because this will raise labor costs and many centers already operate on thin margins. This is already a highly regulated industry and this layer makes it even less appealing for businesses.

Nothing about this makes me think it will increase the quality or availability of childcare. I truly do not know who this is for. Community colleges with child development programs maybe?

[Anonymous]

Y'all do know about the Early Childhood Pay Equity Fund, right? Teachers who earn an associates get paid at a much higher rate, and a with bachelor's earn as much as a DCPS teacher (actually a little more to make up for working year-round). The pay is subsidized by the city. PLUS any child care worker who cares to do so can get that degree absoultely FREE, plus receive a stipend, through programs like DC LEAD. And medical coverage is free as well via Health Care for Child Care.
I'm a center director and am thrilled about both the new requirements and new pay. I've seen first-hand the positive impact higher education has on the quality of care a child receives from infancy through preschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like DC is putting small businesses out of business and increasing unemployment for mostly non white women. That is just an absurd requirement and monetarily infeasible.

Why so negative? This also encourages these women to pursue further education that will increase their income earning potential in the future.

It doesn't make sense. It really doesn't. It's just not needed. It also significantly increases the cost of child care. Plus, you want someone to get a college degree to make minimum wage. Who would go into childcare?

It increases the cost because providers can command higher salaries. I’m okay with that and would prefer providers to have education and training.

This is absurd.

None of them are going to go to college because of this. And if you have kids (it sounds like you clearly don't), you know how good someone is with children has literally nothing to do with their education (and I say this as something with multiple advanced degrees).

This is yet another in a long line of ideas from the DC government that maybe sound good in theory, but in practice make the world worse for everyone.

This

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Y'all do know about the Early Childhood Pay Equity Fund, right? Teachers who earn an associates get paid at a much higher rate, and a with bachelor's earn as much as a DCPS teacher (actually a little more to make up for working year-round). The pay is subsidized by the city. PLUS any child care worker who cares to do so can get that degree absoultely FREE, plus receive a stipend, through programs like DC LEAD. And medical coverage is free as well via Health Care for Child Care.
I'm a center director and am thrilled about both the new requirements and new pay. I've seen first-hand the positive impact higher education has on the quality of care a child receives from infancy through preschool.

If the incentives are so great, why is the requirement necessary? Couldn't you just easily hire staff who wanted to do this without being forced to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Y'all do know about the Early Childhood Pay Equity Fund, right? Teachers who earn an associates get paid at a much higher rate, and a with bachelor's earn as much as a DCPS teacher (actually a little more to make up for working year-round). The pay is subsidized by the city. PLUS any child care worker who cares to do so can get that degree absoultely FREE, plus receive a stipend, through programs like DC LEAD. And medical coverage is free as well via Health Care for Child Care.
I'm a center director and am thrilled about both the new requirements and new pay. I've seen first-hand the positive impact higher education has on the quality of care a child receives from infancy through preschool.

Are you really going to be able to hire enough staff?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like DC is putting small businesses out of business and increasing unemployment for mostly non white women. That is just an absurd requirement and monetarily infeasible.

Why so negative? This also encourages these women to pursue further education that will increase their income earning potential in the future.

It doesn't make sense. It really doesn't. It's just not needed. It also significantly increases the cost of child care. Plus, you want someone to get a college degree to make minimum wage. Who would go into childcare?

It increases the cost because providers can command higher salaries. I’m okay with that and would prefer providers to have education and training.

Because you are an out of touch rich person who can afford it and don't seem to give a crap about the average working parent who already barely affords daycare in DC or the average working person who makes a living off of providing daycare services. This the requirement makes it worse for blue collar workers.

Why would you want someone low paid, untrained and uneducated responsible to take care of your kids?

They are trained. I want someone loving to take care of my kids. Unfortunately, like many other things, as a society, we don't value child care. That does not mean that caregivers need a college degree. That proves nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like DC is putting small businesses out of business and increasing unemployment for mostly non white women. That is just an absurd requirement and monetarily infeasible.

Why so negative? This also encourages these women to pursue further education that will increase their income earning potential in the future.

It doesn't make sense. It really doesn't. It's just not needed. It also significantly increases the cost of child care. Plus, you want someone to get a college degree to make minimum wage. Who would go into childcare?

It increases the cost because providers can command higher salaries. I’m okay with that and would prefer providers to have education and training.

Because you are an out of touch rich person who can afford it and don't seem to give a crap about the average working parent who already barely affords daycare in DC or the average working person who makes a living off of providing daycare services. This the requirement makes it worse for blue collar workers.

Why would you want someone low paid, untrained and uneducated responsible to take care of your kids?

They are trained. I want someone loving to take care of my kids. Unfortunately, like many other things, as a society, we don't value child care. That does not mean that caregivers need a college degree. That proves nothing.

+1. Trained yes, but "educated" in the college degree sense isn't necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Y'all do know about the Early Childhood Pay Equity Fund, right? Teachers who earn an associates get paid at a much higher rate, and a with bachelor's earn as much as a DCPS teacher (actually a little more to make up for working year-round). The pay is subsidized by the city. PLUS any child care worker who cares to do so can get that degree absoultely FREE, plus receive a stipend, through programs like DC LEAD. And medical coverage is free as well via Health Care for Child Care.
I'm a center director and am thrilled about both the new requirements and new pay. I've seen first-hand the positive impact higher education has on the quality of care a child receives from infancy through preschool.

The DC subsidization for child care provider pay is already on the chopping block w/ the DC council budget. Not sure the latest, but that was reported in the news a month ago.

After nearly 20 years of living in this city, I have zero faith that the city council does the right thing most of the time - it's ALWAYS all about buzz in the moment rather than any long term vision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Y'all do know about the Early Childhood Pay Equity Fund, right? Teachers who earn an associates get paid at a much higher rate, and a with bachelor's earn as much as a DCPS teacher (actually a little more to make up for working year-round). The pay is subsidized by the city. PLUS any child care worker who cares to do so can get that degree absoultely FREE, plus receive a stipend, through programs like DC LEAD. And medical coverage is free as well via Health Care for Child Care.
I'm a center director and am thrilled about both the new requirements and new pay. I've seen first-hand the positive impact higher education has on the quality of care a child receives from infancy through preschool.

The DC subsidization for child care provider pay is already on the chopping block w/ the DC council budget. Not sure the latest, but that was reported in the news a month ago.

After nearly 20 years of living in this city, I have zero faith that the city council does the right thing most of the time - it's ALWAYS all about buzz in the moment rather than any long term vision.

Anyone have more recent intel on where this stands?

Sorry to the PP, but you should be keeping your staff informed so they can advocate - and vote - appropriately.

https://www.wusa9.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/get-up-dc/childcare-sector-collapse-in-the-district-if-we-dont-fix-this-dc-councilmember-christina-henderson-on-proposed-budget-cuts/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Y'all do know about the Early Childhood Pay Equity Fund, right? Teachers who earn an associates get paid at a much higher rate, and a with bachelor's earn as much as a DCPS teacher (actually a little more to make up for working year-round). The pay is subsidized by the city. PLUS any child care worker who cares to do so can get that degree absoultely FREE, plus receive a stipend, through programs like DC LEAD. And medical coverage is free as well via Health Care for Child Care.
I'm a center director and am thrilled about both the new requirements and new pay. I've seen first-hand the positive impact higher education has on the quality of care a child receives from infancy through preschool.

The DC subsidization for child care provider pay is already on the chopping block w/ the DC council budget. Not sure the latest, but that was reported in the news a month ago.

After nearly 20 years of living in this city, I have zero faith that the city council does the right thing most of the time - it's ALWAYS all about buzz in the moment rather than any long term vision.

Anyone have more recent intel on where this stands?

Sorry to the PP, but you should be keeping your staff informed so they can advocate - and vote - appropriately.

https://www.wusa9.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/get-up-dc/childcare-sector-collapse-in-the-district-if-we-dont-fix-this-dc-councilmember-christina-henderson-on-proposed-budget-cuts/

https://www.wusa9.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/get-up-dc/childcare-sector-collapse-in-the-district-if-we-dont-fix-this-dc-councilmember-christina-henderson-on-proposed-budget-cuts/65-bb719afe-0f5d-4640-9ec5-c326770a7490

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Y'all do know about the Early Childhood Pay Equity Fund, right? Teachers who earn an associates get paid at a much higher rate, and a with bachelor's earn as much as a DCPS teacher (actually a little more to make up for working year-round). The pay is subsidized by the city. PLUS any child care worker who cares to do so can get that degree absoultely FREE, plus receive a stipend, through programs like DC LEAD. And medical coverage is free as well via Health Care for Child Care.
I'm a center director and am thrilled about both the new requirements and new pay. I've seen first-hand the positive impact higher education has on the quality of care a child receives from infancy through preschool.

Who is going to compensate daycare workers for the salaries they forgo while in school?