Emphasizing that reliable childcare is a necessity for businesses and the workforce, thousands of Pennsylvanians are urging Gov. Josh Shapiro for state investments that address childcare teacher recruitment and retention efforts.
Warning of the worsening childcare crisis, local business, nonprofit, and community leaders gathered recently at the Community Action Partnership Early Learning Center in Lancaster to address the increasing childcare teacher shortage impacting the economy and families across Pennsylvania.
The Lancaster Chamber, the Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County, the United Way of Lancaster County, the YWCA Lancaster, and other advocates hosted a press conference to highlight local and state surveys showing how the teacher shortage, driven by unlivable wages, is forcing child care classrooms to close and leaving working families struggling to find suitable care.
"High-quality and reliable childcare is not a luxury; it's a necessity for the modern workforce," said Heather Valudes, president and CEO, Lancaster Chamber. "When working families can't find the childcare they need, their ability to work is severely diminished. This has measurable consequences for employers, communities, and the economy at large. Without a targeted state investment in recruitment and retention efforts to keep childcare teachers in the classroom, the gaps in our system will continue to grow."
A Lancaster Chamber survey of area employers revealed the impact that limited childcare options are having on local businesses. The survey's important findings included the following:
Noting the cost to the economy, Valudes cited a recent economic analysis conducted by the nonprofit ReadyNation and PA Early Learning. Investment Commission showing that gaps in Pennsylvania's childcare system cost working families, employers, and taxpayers a staggering $6.65 billion annually -- in lost earnings, productivity, and tax revenue.
"The struggle to recruit and retain qualified childcare teachers is closing classrooms and entire centers across the state -- making it the core problem behind working families' struggle to find childcare," said Vanessa Philbert, CEO, Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County. "Childcare teachers are the workforce behind the broader workforce. We absolutely cannot solve this crisis without help to keep teachers in the classroom."
A September survey conducted by the Start Strong PA Campaign of 1,140 childcare providers in Pennsylvania showed that 92% of childcare programs reported challenges in recruiting staff with 85% struggling with teacher shortages. The 36 providers that completed the survey in Lancaster County reported 83 unfilled positions. If those programs were fully staffed, an additional 706 children could be served.
"At YWCA Lancaster, we are committed to providing enriching early education, but we simply cannot do it without the support of a well-compensated workforce," said Christelle Thaw-Bolton, senior director of Child Enrichment, YWCA Lancaster. "We could serve an additional 40 children at our center if we were fully staffed. This is not just a staffing issue -- it's a matter of ensuring that every child has access to the education and care they deserve, and that families can rely on affordable, quality childcare."
More than 5,000 Pennsylvanians are urging the Shapiro Administration to address this crisis by investing $284 million in a new childcare teacher recruitment and retention initiative. Some 18 other states have implemented similar investments to ensure the availability of childcare teachers and to meet the needs of working families.