How does this relate to CLASS®? CLASS measures elements of process quality, day-to-day experiences, and interactions that help children learn. While it’s possible for educators to provide high-quality, nurturing care in any environment, there’s evidence that some aspects of structural quality support higher process quality. Moreover, teacher compensation plays a substantial role in providing ongoing, high-quality care.
Playing with the childcare calculator is a reminder that the quality interactions that are essential for child development don’t come cheaply. It highlights the systemic challenges to ensuring that all young children have life-changing teachers and early learning experiences. For example, in Teachstone’s home state of Virginia, the childcare calculator estimates the baseline cost for one child to attend preschool at $822 monthly. But if we paid early childhood educators the same as kindergarten teachers, provided retirement benefits, and increased health insurance contributions to the national employer average, the estimated cost jumps to $1,323—about a quarter of an average Virginia family’s monthly income!
Take a look at the tool and see the financial effects of improving quality. How much would costs go up in your state? And how much would children benefit?
Source: https://www.costofchildcare.org/