ISSUE #7 — Child Care Cliff

Don’t Believe the Hype with Shirley Irizarry

ISSUE #7 —Child Care Cliff

OCTOBER 2, 2023

Welcome to “Don’t Believe the Hype” with Shirley Irizarry, where we will be bringing truth to light about issues affecting parents and students.

You may have seen many stories about the U.S. heading into a “Child Care Cliff” as emergency relief funds expire. While the media likes to coin phrases that often sugarcoat the severity of the situation, the fact is many families will face hardships and difficulties in the coming months. According to a report by The Century Foundation, here’s the impact we are facing by the numbers:

70,000 Child Care Centers – Closed!
230,000 Child Care jobs – Gone!
$9 billion in lost earnings for families!

One can argue about all the benefits of Early Childhood Education (ECE) for children such as: increase in brain development, social skills, and school readiness. However, the economic impact on families and communities should be considered as well. Investments in high-quality ECE programs can:

Generate up to $7.30 per dollar invested
Improve labor productivity
Increase property values where ECE programs exist
Reduce grade retention in grades PK-12, thereby saving school systems money
Long-term impact when it comes to lower rates of incarceration, arrests for violent crimes, and the likelihood of receiving government assistance

Let’s bring attention to the historically marginalized groups who will be most affected by this Child Care Cliff: women and BIPOC families. When investments are made toward high-quality ECE, families are more likely to overcome poverty, contribute to the economy, and effect change for generations to come. We need to do more to take care of our most vulnerable constituents by following the lead of states like Vermont, Minnesota, and New Mexico by creating effective ECE programs and making sure they are funded!

We cannot move backward or allow a system steeped in systemic racism to take away our right to a high-quality education, the right to earn a livable wage, and the right to overcome poverty and other injustices!

If you would like to learn more, be sure to join the National Parents Union.