States' Innovative Childcare Solutions: Missouri, Michigan, and Kentucky
Republicans and Democrats aim to tackle the childcare crisis in the US, but states like Missouri, Michigan, and Kentucky are pioneering innovative solutions. Missouri allocated funds for childcare programs, Michigan launched the Tri-Share program to support working families, and Kentucky established the Child Care Assistance Partnership, offering financial aid to reduce childcare costs.
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Presentation Transcript
STATES TAKE ON CHILDCARE INNOVATION
INTRODUCTION Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill have expressed a desire to address the country s childcare crisis but have yet to successfully reach a bipartisan consensus. States have begun to create innovative solutions to address the need for quality childcare and strengthen their workforces.
In 2021, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce & Industry partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and produced the report, Untapped Potential: How Childcare Impacts Missouri s Workforce Productivity and the State Economy. The report showed the childcare breakdowns cost Missouri $1.3 billon annually. In 2022, Governor Mike Kehoe established a task force to help identify solutions to the costs outlined in the report and improve access to childcare. MISSOURI The Missouri House of Representatives budgeted $20 million for childcare programs and to promote innovation in childcare In 2023, the Governor s Budget includes nearly $200 million in tax credits, policies and programs to support children, working parents and employers. Article here on proposed childcare legislation
In 2021, Michigan launched a childcare pilot called the Tri- Share program, which is a public-private partnership that aims to split the cost of childcare among employers, employees, and the state. The stated goal of the program is to help the ALICE population (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) eliminate barriers to employment. As part of the program, children can receive support for full- and part-time childcare as well as before and after- school care, with current participants ranging from six months to 11 years old. Tri-Share has grown from serving 9 counties in 2021 to serving 59 counties and the city of Detroit in 2022 During the same period, the number of facilitator hubs grew from 3 to 13 statewide. In a nine-month span, enrolment numbers jumped from 27 to 96 employers and from 17 to 102 employees and from 19 to 130 children MICHIGAN https://www.michigan.gov/mwc/initiatives/mi-tri-share- child-care
In 2022, the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce led the charge on House Bill 499, which was signed into law and established a program called the Kentucky Child Care Assistance Partnership. According to this law, the state will match dollar for dollar an employer s contribution towards an employee s childcare cost based on household income, which helps reduce childcare costs for working families. KENTUCKY In addition to the new program, The Louisville Metro Council reformed childcare zoning restrictions which used to prohibit childcare centers from opening in residential areas To fund this program, the Kentucky General Assembly appropriated $15 million that will be made available from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024. Applications open April 2023. https://www.kychamber.com/childcare
In 2020, Colorado voters approved a ballot initiative to increase state taxes on tobacco and nicotine to fund the creation of a universal preschool program that would provide all Colorado families, regardless of income, will have the opportunity to access 10 hours of high-quality early care and education per week. In 2021, state legislature created the Department of Early Childhood to streamline and strengthen the state's focus on early childhood care. The new department is intended to consolidate the various authorities, programs, and funding streams that currently exist across state agencies and focus on a unified vision of comprehensive early childhood service delivery. COLORADO Article on how Colorado created 6,000 additional spots in childcare deserts
