Available in print for order (see SOURCE) and online for download.
Excerpt from summary:
This longitudinal study is based on observations of quality in the same child care centers at three points in time (1994, 1996, and 2000) and confirms previous concerns about the instability of the child care workforce and its impact on the quality of center-based child care available to young children. The study revealed that:
- Child care centers, and the child care industry as a whole, are losing well-educated teaching staff and administrators at an alarming rate, and hiring replacement teachers with less training and education.
- Despite recognition that higher wages contribute to greater staff stability, compensation for the majority of teaching staff positions has not kept pace with the cost of living over the six year period.
- Teaching staff and directors reported that high turnover among their colleagues negatively affected their ability to do their jobs, and, for some, contributed to their decision to leave.
- Centers that employed highly trained teachers were more likely to sustain a high level of quality over time.