Idaho child care shortage straining not only families, but businesses
Image courtesy of Mary Altaffer / Associated Press
Listen to the interview on Idaho Matters.
Child care resources across our state have been shrinking—which has led to fewer options for working families. And many childhood experts say we are now at a point of crisis in Idaho.
Beth Oppenheimer, Executive Director of the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children, and Alex Labeau, Executive Director of the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry, join Idaho Matters today to discuss how these shortages are impacting Idaho businesses.
Opinion: Idaho's prosperity starts with Idaho's kids
Read the full story on The Lewiston Tribune
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, half of Idaho families were living in child care deserts. Some rural communities lacked child care centers. Even in metropolitan areas, however, the capacity fell short of meeting the need.
A big deal': Boise task force recommends changes to child care licensing process
IF APPROVED, LOCAL PROVIDERS HOPE IT LOWERS ONE BARRIER TO HIRING NEW TEACHERS
Kelcie Moseley-Morris, Idaho Capital Sun
For child care providers in Boise, finding a potential employee who already has a license to care for children is like finding a unicorn. They are special, rare and competitive.
In nearly every city surrounding Boise, including Meridian and Eagle, an employee needs only to pass a background check with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, have proper training in CPR and first aid and commit to four hours of training per year to be able to start working.
The state's child care system is collapsing. It needs state support to keep it afloat.
Read the entire article in the Idaho Statesman.
Idaho’s child care system is collapsing, and the resulting effects will be devastating for families, employers, and our economy. Families that depend on affordable, quality care are being left with few options and many providers are at their breaking point, being unable to find staff to operate at needed capacity.
This situation is dire and, if we do not act to support this industry and its early childhood professionals now, the dwindling of available child care availability will only get worse. While this assessment is bleak, we have never had a better opportunity to address the structural barriers to accessing child care than right now, but we need to be clear on what is causing this problem.
Editorial: If Idaho's Republican legislators won't properly fund education, voters have to do it
Read the full story from the Editorial Board on the Idaho Statesman
Over the next several months, you may be presented with an opportunity to sign a petition from Reclaim Idaho to put something called the Quality Education Act on the November 2022 ballot. If you get that opportunity, you should sign the petition.
Opinion: It's time to put our children first
Read the full story on The Post Register
Gov. Little recently sought praise from Idahoans for the large budget surplus Idaho is realizing. The surplus is at least $1.4 billion, plus another $2 billion in federal coronavirus funds coming into the state. But Idaho legislators, and Little himself, do not deserve praise for this large of a budget surplus. They deserve ridicule. And they definitely don’t deserve to keep their jobs if this is how little regard is given to what actually matters to Idahoans across the state.
Idaho's daycare system is in crisis, experts say
See the full clip on KTVB.
A recent study conducted by the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children found that 91 % of child care providers in the state of Idaho are experiencing staffing shortages. The childcare worker shortage comes at a time when many parents are heading back to work or establishing a work-from-home routine.
Early childhood programs yield a high return on investment
Region II Superintendents
As parents, we want the best possible educational experience for our child(ren), however the reality is that many parents have to work outside the home to make ends meet. Knowing that academic expectations continue to grow for our students in grades K-12, it is important that local school districts create multiple opportunities for our students to be successful. Having access to quality educational programs at an early age, increases a student’s likelihood of academic success.
Studies have identified that preschool programs develop literacy skills such as letter-name recognition, phonological and print awareness which strengthens a student’s ability to develop the skills necessary for reading and writing. Quality early childhood programs engage students in developmentally appropriate practices that include pre-literacy, pre-numeracy activities, language, social and physical development.
Investing in Idaho's children is a good way to spend Idaho's $1.4 billion budget surplus
Read the full story on the Idaho Statesman
What would Idaho’s companies do if they had a $1.4 billion windfall? Many would invest it to make their company more profitable for years to come.
Well, Idaho is sitting on a $1.4 billion surplus, and it has a historic opportunity to invest that money to create greater prosperity for this and future generations of Idahoans.