Preschool Teachers Should Earn Like They Matter
Research shows that early-childhood educators are as valuable as those in K-12 classrooms. So why are they paid far less?
Picture this: A 4-year-old is in a sandbox, running sand and pebbles through a sieve. An adult is at his side, asking him to describe the speed of the moving sand, prompting him to compare the sizes of pebbles, and introducing words like "filter," "capture," and "sort." The adult is closely observing his language development, assessing his abilities, bringing math and science into their conversations—and doing the same with 12 other children under her watch that day. By every indication, she is a teacher.
But in American society,
