Facts In Action

A recent study by the Center for the Childcare Workforce examined the staff qualifications, stability, turnover and compensation in state-funded publicly- and privately-operated prekindergarten programs in five states. In all five states, at least some prekindergarten programs were publicly operated, mostly through school districts.

Study data revealed that within systems, teaching staff in publicly-operated programs had more formal education, received higher wages and benefits, and experienced greater job stability than staff in privately-operated, nonprofit or for-profit programs. In general, the qualifications and compensation of staff in publicly-operated programs more closely mirrored that of K-12 teachers, while privately-operated program staff resembled the lower qualifications, lower compensation and higher staff turnover common in the child care teaching workforce.

The study's authors suggest that both publicly- and privately-operated programs can provide quality early care and education, but it is necessary to set high standards for all settings within states' prekindergarten service delivery systems. It is also crucial to provide the resources programs need to implement such standards, such as funds to fairly compensate staff, as well as the resources teachers need to meet these standards, such as access to and financial support for training.

Source:
Inside the Pre-K Classroom: A Study of Staffing and Stability in State-Funded Prekindergarten Programs, A. Burton, M. Young, D. Bellm, M. Whitebook and L. Broach, Center for the Childcare Workforce, 2002.

For more information:
contact: Center for Childcare Workforce, 733 15th Street NW, Suite 1037, Washington, DC, 20005-2112, or call (202) 737-7700, or look online at www.ccw.org/pubs/ccw_pre-k_10.4.02.pdf.

Facts in Action, October 2002