[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 99 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 99


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 28, 2009

Received and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                                Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Supporting the goals and ideals of a National Early Educator Worthy 
                               Wage Day.

Whereas approximately 60 percent of the Nation's children under 6 are in 
        nonparental care during part or all of the day while their parents work;
Whereas the early childhood industry employs more than 2,300,000 workers;
Whereas the average salary of early care and education workers is $18,917 per 
        year, and only \1/3\

              

 have health insurance and even fewer have a pension plan;

Whereas the quality of early care and education programs is directly linked to 
        the quality of early childhood educators;
Whereas the turnover rate of early childhood program staff is roughly 30 percent 
        per year, and low wages and lack of benefits, among other factors, make 
        it difficult to retain high quality educators who have the consistent, 
        caring relationships with young children that are important to 
        children's development;
Whereas the compensation of early childhood program staff should be commensurate 
        with the importance of the job of helping the young children of the 
        Nation develop their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills, 
        and to help them be ready for school;
Whereas providing adequate compensation to early childhood program staff should 
        be a priority, and resources may be allocated to improve the 
        compensation of early childhood educators to ensure that quality care 
        and education are accessible for all families;
Whereas additional training and education for the early childhood workforce is 
        critical to ensuring high-quality early learning environments;
Whereas early childhood educators should receive compensation commensurate with 
        such training and experience; and
Whereas the Center for the Child Care Workforce, a project of the American 
        Federation of Teachers Educational Foundation, with support by the 
        National Association for the Education of Young Children and other early 
        childhood organizations, recognizes May 1 as National Early Educator 
        Worthy Wage Day: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress supports the goals and ideals of National Early 
Educator Worthy Wage Day, and urges public officials and the general 
public to honor early childhood care and education staff and programs 
in their communities and to work together to resolve the early 
childhood education staff compensation crisis.

            Passed the House of Representatives April 27, 2009.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.