Georgia Senator Warnock tackles funding cliff with Childcare Stabilization Act

A representative from Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock’s (D-GA) press team shared a notice this morning about the introduction of the Child Care Stabilization Act to the U.S. Senate. The Child Care Stabilization Act one sheeter highlights the main points of the proposed bill.

Warnock was part of the group of senators who voted for the American Rescue Plan (ARP) in 2021. According to the press release, “the ARP saved the childcare sector from collapse during the pandemic with vital stabilization funding— helping 220,000 providers stay afloat and serving as many as 10 million kids.”

The ARP came about as a temporary funding solution during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding expired on Sept. 30. The funds that many childcare centers received had been vital to caregiver retention. The additional funding also kept costs manageable for parents who had to navigate returning to work amid the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.

Warnock’s team stated that “the Child Care Stabilization Act would extend vital stabilization funding to prevent financial crisis for families and our economy by ensuring childcare providers can continue serving families across the country.” He has partnered with Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), on the introduction of the bill.

Warnock said in a statement that, “This is just the latest in my efforts to champion the needs of working families and doing all I can to ensure our children are best positioned to succeed.”

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Local Impact

Laukik Patel, chief executive officer at Angel Learning Center in Savannah spoke with SMN back in September ahead of the funding expiration date. He discussed how the ARP funding allowed Angel Learning Center to increase staff pay and provide free childcare services to staff who had the need.

The center also allocated funds toward upgrades to classrooms. “We also converted some of our enrichment rooms into actual classrooms,” Patel stated.

Introduction of the act follows Warnock's recent bipartisan push for the HEADWAY Act, which, “would address staffing shortages in the child care workforce by allowing Early Head Start classroom teachers to teach and earn their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential simultaneously.” He announced his plan for the HEADWAY Act during a recent trip to Savannah’s Head Start programs back in August.

Why the need for stabilization?

Warnock’s team cited a report released by Senators Murray and Sanders in May. The report shows how lack of stabilization funding could impact child care programs, families and childcare workers.

They also shared a separate analysis from The Century Foundation. The analysis indicates a potentially grim future for “more than 70,000 child care programs—one-third of those supported by stabilization funding.” causing approximately 3.2 million children to lose their child care spots and jeopardizing jobs for 232,000 child care workers. The loss in tax and business revenue could cost states $10.6 billion in economic activity per year. Additionally, millions of parents will likely leave the workforce or reduce their hours, which could cost families an estimated $9 billion each year in lost earnings.

The Child Care Stabilization Act aims to provide $16 billion in mandatory funding each year for the next five years as a continuation of the Child Care Stabilization Grant program.

Warnock’s press release also indicated that the Child Care Stabilization Act is led by House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA-05), Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), and Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (D-NY-16). The legislation is co-sponsored by an additional 34 Senators and 78 House members.

This is a developing story. The Savannah Morning News (SMN) has sought comment from Warnock and his team on how the bill might impact childcare providers in Georgia.

If you own, operate or work at a childcare facility in the Savannah area that has been receiving ARP funds and would benefit from the Childcare Stabilization Act’s passing, we encourage you to connect and share your story.

Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at JSchwartzburt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: childcare stabilization act proposed by warnock and group of senators