Some lawmakers are fruitlessly shouting about waste, fraud, and abuse as a way to make child care more affordable. But smart elected officials are turning to the experts for real solutions that will make a difference, like equitable staff pay, high-quality classroom learning, and affordability for parents.
At the Day Without Child Care rally at Philadelphia City Hall this week, advocates, providers, and City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, and Councilmembers Anthony Phillips and Nina Ahmad came together to celebrate the teachers who nurture our youngest learners and recommit themselves to lasting improvements to the child care and pre-k sector.
But city councilmembers didn’t just speechify and walk away. That afternoon, those same councilmembers convened the first ever meeting of the Philadelphia City Council Special Committee on Early Childhood Development. This committee – made up of providers, advocates, and academics – was formed by Council to delve into the systemic problems affecting child care in the city, and how children of color are disproportionately impacted by a failing sector.
It also shows councilmembers’ leadership in convening a table of people who work in the field with firsthand knowledge about the industry challenges and opportunities. It demonstrates a real commitment to listening and learning. Children First was at the table as committee members got right to work, talking about staffing shortages and more resources for providers to properly address students’ challenging behaviors and special needs.
Unfortunately, national leaders have chosen to reject expert input. The Trump Administration recently opted to abolish income-based caps on copays that helped many parents afford care and did away with federal funding formulas that helped providers keep classrooms open. They’re also toying with eliminating raises and benefits for Head Start teachers and supports for students with developmental issues.
There is some good news, though. The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the SEED Act, which would allow early education teachers to deduct up to $350 for classroom supplies and educational materials, similar to the deduction already allowed for K-12 teachers. To be sure, this is helpful for teachers but pales in comparison to a living wage and employee benefits.
Here in Pennsylvania, Children First and early learning experts are supporting the additional $19.5 million for early childhood education that Governor Shapiro included in his budget, which the PA House of Representatives passed last month. We are now meeting with senators to get their commitment to these much-needed dollars being in the final state budget scheduled to pass next month.
Join us in Harrisburg on either June 10th or June 22nd for an early childhood education day at the capital when you can share your early childhood experience and expertise directly with lawmakers. It’s what makes a difference.
