Welcome, Martha!

Submitted by Cecilia on Wed, 05/24/2006 - 10:30am.

You can't imagine how happy and excited we are at Connect for Kids these days. Martha Pitts is our brand new writer/reporter. Every CFK staff person, past and present, has made incredible contributions toward our goal of engaging and equipping adults to act in positive ways on behalf of kids and young people. I know that Martha will as well.

Martha, a 2001 graduate of Princeton, already has an impressive resume. She's worked with high school journalism students; she interned for her hometown newspaper, the Times-Picayune; and she trained to be a court-appointed special advocate (CASA volunteer) for abused and neglected children.

Besides all of that, Martha and her husband are the proud parents of a four-month old daughter named Olivia.

Watch for Martha's byline on upcoming articles. She's already won my spot as a CFK blogger!


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Early Education and Teacher Salaries
Submitted by Jerrie DeRose (not verified) on Wed, 01/17/2007 - 8:47pm.

As and Early Childhood Education Consultant I spent twelve years reviewing Early Head Start and Head Start programs around the continental United States. Since 1998, greater emphasis has been placed on professional development for teachers working for Early Head Start and Head Start programs.

In the beginning, funds were provided to help supplement pell grants and student loans so that teachers, and even teacher's assistants could return to school to get their AA, BA, and for some their MA. Some foundations even provided scholarships or paid for teachers to complete a degree program. Other monies were provided to help teacher's assistants and child care providers who partnered with Head Start programs get a Child Development Accredidation.

Early Head Start and Head Start programs partnered with institutions of higher learning to help make college more affordable and even to provide evening or on-site classes so that teachers could still work while getting the higher degree. Many institutes and foundations partnered with Head Start programs to streamline the process to include distance learning and on-line courses. Some colleges that did not have an Early Childhood Education program changed their curriculum so that Head Start teachers who may have already had an AA or BA in secondary education could return to get a certification in Early Education and/or Special Education.

Sadly, once those teachers were degreed, school districts began hiring teachers away from Early Head Start and Head Start programs to work in public schools at a significantly higher salary and better health benefits than Head Start programs can offer. Without federal dollars being earmarked to bring Early Head Start and Head Start para and teacher salaries in line with teachers working in the public school system programs will continue to lose qualified teachers and Early Child Education will suffer.

Parents, communities, civic organizations, and other agencies who understand the importance of assuring Early Head Start and Head Start teacher salaries are competitive, should contact their elected officials, etc. and let them know.

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