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For decades, research has shown that we all benefit from quality and affordable childcare. According to the National Educational Association, children who have high-quality early learning programs are more likely to be “kindergarten ready” when they start school, less likely to repeat a grade, less likely to be identified as having special needs, more prepared academically for later grades, more likely to graduate from high school, and more likely to become higher earners in the workforce.
Quality, affordable early childhood education benefits families. Twenty-two percent of prime age workers have a child under the age of six years. If quality programs for their children are available and affordable, both parents in the family can work. When it is not, the burden falls disproportionally on women with short and long-term ramifications. Many women work in low-wage jobs with nonstandard hours and inconsistent schedules and struggle to find childcare services available to meet their schedules. A woman may be forced to reduce her work hours or drop out of the workforce altogether.
Employers also benefit when quality and affordable early childhood education is available. A recent Wells Fargo study revealed that nearly 50% of businesses have job openings that they are unable to fill, and the lack of affordable early childhood education programs plays a big role. The NY Times reported in February that 39% of women with children younger than 5 had quit their jobs or reduced their hours. Early childhood education would not only increase the employers’ ability to hire and retain workers, but they would also lead to greater worker productivity and lower absenteeism when workers have confidence that their children are well cared for.
The economy grows. “The U.S. economy could get a $1 trillion boost over the next 10 years if female labor market participation grew to the levels seen in other developed economies.” This, of course, would necessitate accessible, affordable, quality early childhood education programs, like those in other countries. Conversely, a lack of reliable childcare takes a major toll on the economy as working families across the country lose more than $8.3 billion in wages annually due to inadequate childcare access (Moody’s Investment services).
Quality early learning programs today ensure a reliable workforce tomorrow. The soft skills acquired in these programs -socialization, cooperation, communication, and teamwork -will be highly prized in the future as technological innovations phase out traditional jobs.
Moreover, the benefits come in other areas as well: the availability of early learning programs is a huge plus for home buyers and sellers as they increase home values by $13 for every $1 spent on these programs. By eliminating the need for retention, remediation, and special services, these programs save considerable money for the local school districts. Incarceration is reduced by 45%; arrests for violent crimes are reduced by 33%, and the likelihood of receiving government assistance is reduced by 26% (The first five Years Fund).
Financial investments from the government, private corporations and nonprofits are crucial to resolving this crisis. Unfortunately, during the deliberation of the Inflation Reduction Act, negotiators eliminated a proposal that would have tripled the funding for high quality early childhood education despite this impassioned speech by one of the legislators.
“Access to childcare is about economic and racial justice. It is about giving women the ability to provide for their families and participate in our economy. It is about paying the women – especially the women of color – a wage that allows them to provide for themselves and their children. It’s about giving our children the opportunity to learn and grow. Childcare is about addressing our workforce shortage. It’s about helping the two million women who dropped out of the workforce completely during the pandemic. It’s about helping working families whose budgets are already stressed. We will give our children a future that is worthy of them.” Congresswoman Katherine Clark
