Transforming Child Care
In the last legislative biennium, the Legislature passed historic legislation that set three goals for the state’s child care system: that every child has access to quality child care; families spend no more than 10% of their income on child care; and early childhood educators are fairly compensated and well supported. Based on the work undertaken in the last biennium, in 2023 the Alliance supports the efforts of Let’s Grow Kids and the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children in advocating for long-term funding to achieve five priorities that will be phased in over four years:
• Affordability: Transform Vermont’s Child Care Financial Assistance Program so that all Vermont families who need it receive support from the state to afford child care
• Support for Early Childhood Educators: Increase wages, benefits, and overall support
• Governance: Create a single, empowered leader in state government who is charged with overseeing Vermont’s child care and early childhood education system
• Accessibility: Support the growth of Vermont’s early childhood education workforce, increase capacity of programs, and ensure that all children have access to a program that best meets their needs
• Equity: Through specific programs to support families of color and other people marginalized by systemic inequities in Vermont, increased affordability, child care capacity development, and better support for early childhood educators and child care programs
LEAD ORGANIZATIONS: Let’s Grow Kids and the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children
Data and Talking Points
- The mean annual salary of a child care worker in Vermont is only $33,990, significantly below other professions with similar credentials and expertise.
- Families are struggling to afford child care. Even with financial assistance, Vermont families can spend more than 30% of their income on child care.
- When Vermont achieves a high-quality, affordable early childhood education system, every $1 invested will generate over $3 in return.
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.
- Sign up to join the Let’s Grow Kids Action Network.