Working With Young Children, Dead-End Job?

What is it worth to have high quality childcare?  According to Anya Kamenetz, not much depending on location, “the economy values them between $8.63 and $20.99 per hour, “(2014). So why the difference between Kindergarten teachers and Preschool/Childcare wages?  Isn't the work just as important, are the childcare workers and Preschool teachers not having just as great as impact as the K teacher, if not more?  After all these workers are the first contact either in a school setting or with outside adults that children have in their developing life.  So why the low wage…”better paid teachers and caregivers have lower turnover, can afford more training, and , not incidentally, are less stressed and preoccupied,” (2014).  It’s highly unlikely that things will change anytime soon, however I have noticed more funding for preschool, we now have full time preschool teachers, that because of our contract make close to what I make (which isn't much), but I've been there 6 years and through a pay freeze and 2 pay cuts.  I think there needs to be more value put into caring for our children of all ages not just the preschool and toddlers.

Kamenetz, A. (2014, November 20). Why Working With Young Children Is (Still) A Dead-End Job. Retrieved November 21, 2014. http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2014/11/20364563452/why-working-with-young-children-is-still-a-dead-end-job?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=education