Jon Stojan
Since the US government’s Child Care Stabilization Program ended in September 2023, over 220,000 childcare programs and 9.6 million children have lost funding support. As a result, private childcare has become a luxury many families can’t afford. With few public alternatives, women are sacrificing their careers for full-time caregiving. With maternal workforce participation at a major low, talent shortages have resulted in economic losses. America’s future leaders have a right to high-quality, affordable education, and their mothers need accessible childcare to achieve equality in the workplace. Jessa Depew, PharmD, Founder of The Quadrilingual Academy, an educational provider for toddlers to elementary school children in Atlanta, GA, is working to mitigate the impacts of this national issue.
American childcare is an expensive and fragile industry. Since 2000, childcare prices have increased by 115%. The industry has consistently struggled to attract and retain workers due to heavy workloads and unlivable wages. This already vulnerable sector was irreversibly damaged by the onset of the pandemic. Almost two-thirds of childcare centers stopped operating during April 2020 when the country shut down, with the remainder struggling to stay open. This resulted in many having to shift current business models to virtual learning and reduce hours of operation.
To keep centers afloat, the American Rescue Plan enacted the Child Care Stabilization Program(STABLE), which provided $24 billion to struggling childcare centers. Shortly before the program expired in September 2023, politicians proposed a five-year funding plan for $16 billion to be distributed annually. This framework was not passed and will not be put into motion. The effects of this cause catastrophic consequences to the well-being of children, their families, and the economy. A Century Foundation report estimates that over 70,000 childcare programs could close. This means that 3.2 million children will lose access to childcare.
The US government should implement affordable, high-quality public education options for children under five as a long-term solution. The current average wage for toddler and preschool teachers in Georgia is $28,000 a year, a fraction of what K-5 teachers receive through public funding at a staggering $64,000 a year.
If no action is taken, the same problems will happen each year. The US Chamber Foundationcalculated that states are already experiencing millions or even billions in annual economic losses because of childcare issues. Michigan lost $2.88B, Florida lost $5.38B, and Texas lost $9.39B. Proactively developing a long-term solution will address the current crisis and reduce fallout in the future.
Jessa Depew, founder of The Quadrilingual Academy, an educational provider offering toddlers to elementary school children instruction in Chinese, Spanish, English, and French curricula has witnessed the saddening impacts of the childcare crisis throughout Atlanta, GA.
The Quadrilingual Academy is one of the few childcare centers offering competitive salaries and high-quality benefits to address the salary gap. Since Jessa hails from the medical field, she saw this as a vital way to attract and retain talent. Offering generous paid time off and comprehensive healthcare has also empowered educators to see their work as a career, not a job. This mental shift fosters tangible change in children’s lives and the long-term academic goals they can reach.
Educational programs for children under five help them develop cognitively, socially, and biologically. Ninety percent of the brain develops by age five, and a large percentage of children rely on school programs for meals, socialization opportunities, and emotional development. Children under five also strengthen their immune systems by going to school programs. They create more antibodies for fighting infections, which reduces absences later on.
The positives of government-funded early childcare extend past educational outcomes. Federal investment in childcare pays two times over as mothers return to the workplace and boost economic growth.
“The worker shortage has already underlined an urgent need to correct systemic issues that prevent talent from entering candidate pools,” Jessa says. “Enabling mothers to return to work outside of the home is a step in the right direction, but it can’t happen until the nation analyzes why the needs of children under five are being ignored. As private childcare costs become more expensive than putting a child through college, America should reflect on why government-funded early childhood education isn’t a priority. Perhaps it’s because women are expected to handle home and work responsibilitieswithout much help. Regardless of the factors fueling the childcare crisis, the American government and other public entities urgently need to distribute funding to existing childcare centers and propose more sustainable policies. In a nation that promises to leave no child behind, not enough is being done to protect not only the children themselves but the family as a complete unit.”