[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 24, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E278]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE CHILD CARE WORKER INCENTIVE ACT OF 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT A. WEYGAND

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 24, 1999

  Mr. WEYGAND. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Child Care 
Worker Incentive Act, which will create educational opportunities for 
those who are for our youngest children--our child care workers.
  Quality and affordable child care is extremely important for the 
healthy development of all children. An increasing amount of research 
confirms that responsive child care is essential to the positive 
development of the brain. In fact, recent studies by the University of 
Chicago show that a child's intelligence develops equally as much 
during the first four years of his or her life as it does between the 
ages of four and eighteen.
  In order to ensure quality in child care we need dedicated and well-
educated child care workers. Unfortunately, the field has historically 
had a significant problem attracting and retaining these quality 
workers. Nationally, child care teachers earn an average of $6.89 per 
hour or $12,058 per year, only 18 percent of child care centers offer 
fully paid health coverage for teaching staff and one-third of all 
child care teachers leave their centers each year.
  I was honored to join President Clinton, Vice President Gore and 
First Lady Hillary Clinton at the White House Conference on Child Care 
in October of 1997. At the conference, we discussed many innovative 
approaches to improving quality child care for the children of our 
country. One of the programs highlighted at the conference was the 
T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education and Compensation Helps) Early Childhood 
Project in North Carolina.
  Shortly thereafter, I visited Kidworks, a child care center in North 
Carolina where several child care workers have been involved in the 
T.E.A.C.H. Project. I can attest to the success of this program in 
raising the education levels of child care workers in North Carolina 
and, by doing so, has improved the quality of child care for countless 
children in that state. The T.E.A.C.H. Project provides scholarships to 
child care workers in return for a commitment from the teacher that 
they will remain in the child care field for a certain amount of time. 
Scholarship costs are based on a partnership and are shared by the 
T.E.A.C.H. Project, the child care center and the teacher. Because of 
the increased education, the children in the care of T.E.A.C.H. Project 
participants receive better quality child care. If they complete their 
educational goal, participants receive a salary increase, through 
either a raise or bonus.
  There have been great results with this program. Over 2,200 child 
care providers have completed their state's Early Childhood Education 
Credential on a scholarship from the T.E.A.C.H. Project which 
translates into a better educated workforce. Participants in the 
associate's degree program have received, on average, a 30% increase in 
compensation at the end of the four years of participation as a 
T.E.A.C.H. associate's degree scholarship, which means a better paid 
workforce. In addition, participants in the associate's degree program 
have less than a 10% turnover rate per year, as opposed to the 
statewide turnover rate of 42%. Of those participants in the bachelor's 
degree program, there has been a 0% turnover rate. This low rate means 
less tumultuous adjustment for children and thus, better quality child 
care. All indicators point that the T.E.A.C.H. Project has made a 
difference to increasing the educational levels of child care workers, 
increasing their pay and lowering turbulent turnover rates.
  Last year, I visited a day care center in Rhode Island where I met 
with Judy Victor. Judy is a day care provider who expressed to me her 
concerns with the rapid turnover among her employees. She said, ``You 
must be able to afford good people. If you get someone good, the low 
pay drives them out.''
  After hearing Judy's thoughts and after viewing the success of the 
T.E.A.C.H. Project, I have introduced the Child Care Worker Incentive 
Act. This legislation would create similar scholarship programs 
throughout the nation. These child care scholarships will provide 
tuition assistance to child care workers who have a demonstrated 
commitment to children and a career in child care. The legislation 
provides great flexibility to states to design programs which most 
appropriately fit the needs of the children in their state.
  Among other provisions, the legislation requires each state's 
scholarship program to have the following components.
  Demonstrated Commitment by a Child Care Worker--The individual 
applying for the scholarship assistance must be employed by a licensed 
or registered child care provider or have a commitment for employment 
from a licensed or registered child care provider. The individual must 
agree to continue to be employed in the field of child care for at 
least one year after receiving the training for which the assistance is 
provided.
  Demonstrated Commitment from a Child Care Employer--In exchange for a 
commitment from a child care worker to obtain further education and 
thus provide better quality child care to the children within the 
center, the child care center must agree to pay a share of the cost of 
the education or training. In addition, the employer must agree to 
provide increased financial incentives to the child care worker, such 
as a salary increase or bonus when the individual completes the 
education or training.
  The legislative language is very similar to the language proposed in 
the Affordable and Quality Child Care Act of 1998 from the 105th 
Congress (H.R. 4030), which garnered the support of 132 members. If our 
nation is serious about improving child care, we need to improve the 
education and salary of those who are charged with caring for our 
children. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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