North Carolina is facing a massive child care crisis with dire consequences for NC’s children, families, and economy.
Since 2021, Child Care Compensation Grants, funded through federal emergency relief, have provided higher wages and bonuses to more than 40,000 North Carolina early educators.
Federal funding will run out June 30th. Without support from the NC General Assembly, the vast majority of child care teachers will receive a pay cut, likely resulting in a mass exodus of teachers who can earn more working in fast food, retail, and similar industries. Prior to the grants, the average wage for a child care teacher in North Carolina was $12/hour.
Unless NC lawmakers act NOW to invest in our state’s child care system, the funding cliff will be catastrophic, leading to more child care teachers leaving the field, additional child care program closures, and less availability of child care for working parents.
A one-time allocation of $300 million will help child care programs stay open to support young children, working parents, businesses and employers, and our state’s economy.
North Carolina has the funds to do it – we just need the political will! With a $1.4 billion revenue surplus expected, we have the resources to avoid a child care crisis that would cost our state dearly.
NC lawmakers urgently need to hear from their constituents that they must invest NOW to save child care! Can you send them a quick note letting them know how much child care matters to your family? We’ve made it easy to send a quick message. Just click here.
Got a moment to make your note even more powerful? Take a second to personalize your message by sharing your own experience with needing child care. Click and type in the grey box to add your own story.
Why does having access to quality child care matter to your family? What would you do if your child care provider closed? How would it hurt your family? Is it a struggle to afford child care? Why is it important to you that your child’s teacher is paid enough to support their family? Just a few sentences about any of these questions will make your message even more powerful!