Along with Dolly Parton, good weather, well-stocked toilet paper aisles and the “stop video” function on Zoom, the pandemic has brought a newfound appreciation—reverence, even—for early childhood educators.
Families, fellow educators and the general public have begun to see just how integral child care professionals are to a smoothly functioning economy, says Ashley LiBetti, associate partner of policy and evaluation at Bellwether Education Partners, a national nonprofit that aims to improve outcomes for underserved children. Many people, LiBetti notes, are realizing that the existence of early childhood education programs almost single-handedly allows mothers of young children to participate in the workforce.
