While it may seem inconceivable, that a state government would force an industry to obtain degrees within a certain amount of time, I strongly disagree with the opinion that there is no need for the requirement. Families in the DC area pay hefty fees for ECE services. The hefty fees did come about before most states, and unfortunately, the mandate would only match the requirements in states that deem ECE to be a lucrative and highly educated industry. In those states, teacher education is the first component of high-quality care for children. Those of us that have worked inside ECE programs know that education of the instructor matters, such as in the case of children that may have a teacher whose 'safety' inside the classroom may be acceptable, but they regularly misspell words, speak improperly, or unable to clearly understand the age and developmental stage in order to provide age-appropriate care. There is a plethora of reliable sources and studies that have been produced over the years, that support the notion that just as public school instructors must be degreed and pass several state-mandated examinations; so should early childhood educators. The requirements are not out of the norm. I do believe, however, that a proper and well thought through transition plan may aid in transitioning into the new system.
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