GRAMBLING, La. (KTVE/KARD) — On Friday, September 15, 2023, officials confirmed that Chief Tommy Clark, Jr. of the Grambling Police Department is scheduled to meet with childcare providers to discuss a new report on childcare on September 20, 2023, in Washington, D.C.
Quality child care, particularly for infants and toddlers, is often unavailable or unaffordable for many families, particularly those with low incomes. One of the main drivers of this crisis is inadequate compensation and subpar working conditions for early educators, which result in high levels of turnover, impacting the availability and quality of programs. In Louisiana, early educators make $22,100 a year, less than half of what Kindergarten teachers earn.
According to officials, a panel discussion will be held at the Capitol Hill event on how Congress can support evidence-based policies that enhance the availability and affordability of high-quality early care and education, including addressing the needs of the early education workforce.
The new report comes from the law enforcement membership group Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, part of Council for a Strong America. Chief Clark will be joined on the panel by fellow Fight Crime: Invest in Kids members Michelle Zehnder Fischer, County Attorney for Nicollet County, MN, and Kim Stewart, Sheriff of Doña Ana County, NM. They will also be joined by Lynita Law-Reid, Director of Kids Are Us, a childcare provider located in Washington, DC.
