Child Care is Essential
Even before the pandemic, 3 out of 5 of Vermont’s youngest children did not have access to the early childhood education they need. This year the Alliance supports its members’ efforts to pass H.171, a bill that establishes state goals for affordability, access, and quality and lays the foundation of our future early childhood education system by:
- Restructuring CCFAP to cap family co-payments at affordable rates andestablish goals for fair compensation for early childhood educators;
- Formally convening experts and stakeholders to develop plans for raising new revenue as well as system coordination and accountability;
- Fully funding an updated IT system critical to effective and efficient administration; and
- Increasing strategic investments in early childhood education workforce development and early childhood education program capacity.
LEAD ORGANIZATIONS: Let’s Grow Kids and Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children
Related Links
Data and Talking Points
- The median income of a child care worker in Vermont is only $27,600 – often without benefits. This is less than what Vermont’s own Joint Fiscal Office says is a livable wage.
- Families are struggling to pay for child care. Middle-income families with two parents and two young children are spending as much as 30% of their income on child care, even with financial assistance from the state.
- Every $1 dollar invested in strengthening Vermont’s early childhood education system generates around $3 in the Vermont economy.
Resources and Advocacy Tools
Get Involved
- Sign on to Let’s Grow Kids’ three-year plan to show your support for prioritizing children and increasing public investments in high-quality, affordable child care to ensure every Vermont child has a strong start.
- Register for Early Childhood Day at the Legislature on March 10!