Advocates, Elected Officials Call for Salary Parity for NYC Early Childhood Educators

Released January 6, 2016

Contact: Cheryl McCourtie, Day Care Council of New York: (212) 206‐7818 ext. 129; (718) 938‐5927 cell
Lisa Caswell, Day Care Council of New York: (212) 206‐7818 ext. 106

Teachers & Staff at Community-Based Centers Earn Far Less than Those at DOE Programs; With No Raise in a Decade, Many Depend on Public Assistance

Public Advocate Letitia James, Members of the Day Care Council of New York Request that Mayor de Blasio Extend His Commitment to Early Childhood Education to Child Care Workers

WHAT: Early childhood education advocates and Public Advocate Letitia James hold a press conference to call for salary parity between educators at community-based organizations and the Department of Education.

WHO:

• Public Advocate Letitia James
• Council Members including Dr. Mathieu Eugene and Daniel Dromm
• Day Care Council of New York Executive Director Andrea Anthony
• Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA) First Vice President Randi Herman
• Citizens’ Committee for Children Associate Executive Director Stephanie Gendell, Esq.
• Southeast Bronx Neighborhood Centers Inc. Executive Director Damyn Kelly
• Union Settlement Director of Early Childhood Education Michelle Paige

WHEN: Wednesday January 6 at 11:00 a.m.

WHERE: Steps of City Hall, Manhattan

BACKGROUND: Advocates representing early childhood education centers will stand with Public Advocate Letitia James to call for salary parity for CBO-based workers serving some the city’s most vulnerable communities. Currently, head teachers who work in community-based settings can earn only half of what head teachers in school-based programs typically earn, despite having the same level of education, experience, and credentials. Because they are unable to offer decent wages and benefits, CBO programs struggle to attract and retain high-quality staff, which impacts not only workers who are dedicated to the field of early education, but also the children and parents who deserve the stable, high-quality programs that result from a fairly compensated workforce.

The Administration’s recent announcement that Pre-K teachers in non-profit settings will receive signing and retention bonuses does not include Directors, Assistant Directors, and Family Child Care Coordinators who serve children but are not DOE-paid. DOE Pre-K teachers currently receive a higher salary than Directors, Assistant Directors, Family Care Coordinators and teachers who are CBO-based and who have not received a pay increase for a decade.

The advocates will encourage the administration to ensure that all qualified child care workers receive compensation and benefits comparable to their DOE counterparts, creating a unified, high-quality system for early childhood education that serves the all the City’s children and families with equal verve.

ABOUT DAY CARE COUNCIL OF NEW YORK: The Day Care Council of New York was founded in 1947 to advocate for the continuation of child care programs that had enabled mothers to enter the workforce during World War II. Today the Day Care Council of New York supports the providers, administrators, advocates and lawmakers who work to ensure that safe, high‐quality child care remains accessible for families who need it. The Council is committed to programs and services that promote the sound growth and development of children and their families necessary for a healthy society.

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