Our children in early childhood programs are struggling. Our youngest, most vulnerable children need more teachers and providers to adequately care for them. As of now, there is a shortage of providers in the NYS Early Intervention Program and Special Education Preschool Program, so children are not getting their mandated services. Aren’t our children worth it? Is this the message we want to send to families of young, disabled children? 

There are countless studies that show early childhood programs as predictors of later success. We’ve all read the research on Early Intervention that tells us the sooner we begin providing therapies for disabled children the less support they need later in life. Don’t we owe it to these children who, on top of needing regular early childcare, are also dealing with the added trauma of only knowing life during a global health crisis? 

There is a mountain of research that proves we should be spending more, not less, in the field of early care and education. Read the research: NIEER, USDOE NCER, NCSER, NCES, NCEE, NAEYC, AIR, NYC ECRN, NIH. We are a field of mostly women. We have advanced degrees and are barely earning enough to survive. We are currently making minimum wage on average across the state. Is this really how much our time is worth to society?  

Fund more early childhood special education teachers, psychologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, speech language pathologists, SEITS, paraprofessionals, and ongoing services coordinators, and pay us 11% more!  

We are a frontline, essential workforce that has risked our own health in order to show up for the young people in our care throughout a global health crisis. Even in times of normalcy we are the first responders for babies, young children, and their families when developmental delays arise. We facilitate development between children, their families, and service providers so children can reach their highest potential. We care, and we should be compensated for our work.