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Polis visits Longmont to discuss early childhood education

“We have a lot more room to build,” Polis said.
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Gov. Jared Polis speaks to Executives Partnering To Invest In Children conference at Stewart Auditorium at the Longmont Museum on Sept. 22, 2021

Governor Jared Polis touted his administration’s past work in advancing early childhood education in Colorado at a gathering of local officials, childcare providers and business leaders today at the Longmont Museum.

That included pushing for free full-day kindergarten and a voter-approved universal preschool for the state. Polis also cheered the allocation of over $275 million in federal funds for Colorado families with young children, child care providers, and other early childhood providers.

The funding comes from the American Rescue Plan and will help save families across the state over $100 million in child care expenses, and support the retention of early childhood educators, Polis told the audience at “The Business of Early Childhood Business is our Business” event. 

The conference was sponsored by the Early Childhood Council of Boulder County. 

Polis echoed other speakers who said much more needs to be done to boost early childhood resources in the state. Doing so will help businesses retain employees who otherwise won’t go to jobs that do not provide child care help.

 The work includes providing incentives for developers to build more child care centers and businesses to support parents with child care needs, Polis and others said.

“We have a lot more room to build,” Polis said. But, he added,“We are moving Colorado from laggard to leader” in early childhood education, Polis added.

In Colorado, infant care costs nearly 10% more than the average rent, according to a news release from the governor’s office. And while Colorado’s economy depends on working parents, over half of parents reported having missed work opportunities because they did not have access to care or could afford it,. the news release states.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made the situation even worse, Nicole Riehl, president and CEO of EPIC, told the audience. EPIC, or Executives Partnering To Invest In Children, helps businesses provide child care options for employees, Riehl said.

Riehl cited statistics that 50% of families are not going back to work post-pandemic because they cannot find or afford adequate child care. Women are also most likely to stop working because of child care barriers, Riehl told the audience.

“The pandemic has set us (women) back after decades of progress,” she said.

People of color are especially hindered in finding and advancing in jobs because they have to look after their children, Riehl said. 

The lack of adequate child care keeps prospective parents home and costs Boulder County businesses millions of dollars in lost earnings, she said.

Riehl said employers can attract and keep employees by providing back up child care, provide child care vouchers and start advocating for more child care facilities.

“The problem is that half of the state is considered a child care desert,” she said.

Employers can also ask employees what they need as far as child care. “Ask your employees what their challenges are,” Riehl said.