First round of grant funding open to expand child care access across Idaho

Submitted by Idaho AEYC on Tue, 07/26/2022 - 15:37
mother and child

The deadline to apply for the first round of child care expansion grants from the Idaho Workforce Development Council is Aug. 1, and council Executive Director Wendi Secrist expects the $15 million in available funding this fiscal year to quickly disappear.

During the 2022 legislative session, the Idaho Legislature approved $15 million from state fiscal recovery funds in the federal American Rescue Plan Act to be used for child care infrastructure grants. The grant funding is intended to be used to shorten waitlists for child care at high-quality facilities, including dollars that can help offset start-up costs for businesses and providers looking to expand. After the August deadline, the program will have two more rounds of funding with deadlines of Oct. 1 and Jan. 1. If the $15 million is not spent by then, the council will open another round.

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Idaho Capital Sun

A big deal': Boise task force recommends changes to child care licensing process

Submitted by Idaho AEYC on Thu, 10/14/2021 - 12:12
children in preschool

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.

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Idaho Capital Sun

Report: Lack of child care results in $479M loss for Idaho's economy.

Submitted by Idaho AEYC on Thu, 08/26/2021 - 13:24
Woman and child playing board game

A teacher at Giraffe Laugh Learning Center works with one of the enrolled children. Photo courtesy of Giraffe Laugh

LEADERS OF TWO STATE GROUPS WORKING ON A ‘BOTTOM UP’ APPROACH TO EARLY EDUCATION

Kelcie Moseley-Morris, Idaho Capital Sun

In early 2020, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a report about the economic effects of breakdowns in access to child care in four states. Idaho was one of them.

The report found that issues related to child care result in an estimated $479 million annual loss for Idaho’s economy through absences and employee turnover.

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Idaho Capital Sun
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