Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Because this country no longer wants child CARE providers.
They want early childhood EDUCATORS.
I truly believe that family child care providers as we know them to be now will NO longer exist within the next 5 (+ or -) years.
Honestly, I DO think that having a CDA should really be a minimum standard. It is NOT hard to get and the education you get IS worth it.
I do NOT think providers should be required to have an actually A.A or A.A.S. degree or higher.
I've never had a problem with them requiring some education. But, if you look at our point system, you could score 100% in ALL areas of quality, and if you don't have a degree, you cannot be a 5 star. That is what I take issue with. If you score so high in all areas, then obviously you've learned it somehow, just not in a college classroom. For me, it was lots of research on my own, and tons of CEU's.
So, education should be a component, but not the only deciding factor. Writing a curriculum or doing assessments or providing teacher-led gym class could be components, just not the only deciding factors.
National Accreditation has 228 standards. About 20 of those are non-negotiable. The rest, you have to meet a percentage of to be accredited. If the QRIS were similar, it would be much fairer. Meet 90% of the standards, you are a 5 star, 80-4 star, etc. Or something like that.
It really confuses me that they even have a 1 star. That means, you are about to be shut down due to licensing violations, and you can't accept state-funded kids. What is the point of that?