Student Loan Forgiveness - Close the Loophole for Early Educators
Help retain quality teachers by funding student loan forgiveness programs for early childhood educators,the keystones of high-quality early care and education. Loan forgiveness funding already exists for K-12 teachers -- but not for preschool teachers.
Did you know that children who go to preschool are 29% more likely to graduate from high school? Yet, the typical early childhood educator receives a lower wage than the typical parking lot attendant.
Low pay forces one-third of all early care and education workers out of their jobs every year. At the same time, society receives seven dollars back for every one dollar we spend on early care programs through increased earning potential, decreased juvenile crime, and improved scholastic achievement.
We can help retain quality teachers by funding student loan forgiveness programs for early childhood educators, the keystones of high-quality early care and education.
Please take action today! Congressional representatives are considering a federal budget that leaves early childhood educators out in the cold and they need to hear from you.
Dear [Lawmaker]:
As one of your constituents, I am calling upon you to fund the same student loan forgiveness program to early educators that is currently provided to K-12 teachers.
Teachers in early childhood education settings already suffer from extremely low wages. Providing loan forgiveness to deserving early childhood education teachers who are furthering their education and upgrading their skills is one way to keep them in the field and reward them for the great work that they do.
Unfortunately, current loan forgiveness programs only fund K-12 teachers - and even those funds are at risk because Congress has not made education funding a priority. Early educators will surely be left out in the cold unless the current budget proposal is improved.
It is time that we provide the necessary funds to keep quality early educators working with our children. Common sense demands it - we cannot afford to drive away our most qualified early education teachers. A sense of fairness demands it as well - early educators play as critical a role in a child's development as do K-12 teachers.
Remember, a teacher's working environment is a child's learning environment -- we need to work as a nation to make sure both are first class.
Sincerely,
Your name
