The Fond du Lac County Child Care Network hosted an impactful event on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, to discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding child care in our community. Angela Schmitz, Owner/Director of Lily Pad Learning Center, delivered an engaging presentation highlighting the importance of accessible, affordable, and quality child care for families, businesses, and the broader economy.
Joined by community leaders, local businesses, and advocates, Schmitz emphasized the child care industry is at a critical juncture. “Child care providers are the workforce behind the workforce,” Schmitz said. “Yet, the economics of child care are broken, with providers struggling to balance the high costs of care and the low wages paid to essential teachers. Without intervention, the system will become unsustainable for families and providers alike.”
Key Issues Identified:
- Affordability: Families often pay more for child care than college tuition, with tuition rates rising due to insufficient funding. When federal relief ends in June 2025, centers may face tuition increases of 10–20%, putting quality care out of reach for many families.
- Accessibility: More than half of Wisconsin is classified as a “child care desert,” where demand significantly exceeds supply. In Fond du Lac County, only 1,523 licensed spots are available for 5,262 children under five, leaving 60% without access to licensed care.
- Quality: Low wages and high turnover rates among child care teachers jeopardize the quality of care provided. Despite their critical role, child care teachers are among the lowest paid workers in the state, averaging just $13.78 an hour.
The Call to Action
Wisconsin Early Childhood Action Needed (WECAN) is urging the state to invest $2 billion to stabilize and strengthen the child care system, which would include raising wages by $10 per hour for child care workers and creating a long-term Wisconsin Teachers Fund. The network also emphasized the need for continued collaboration between parents, businesses, and policymakers to advocate for this investment.
“Our children are not a financial burden—they are an investment in our future,” Schmitz concluded. She challenged policymakers to visit child care centers and witness firsthand the dedication and expertise required of child care providers.
The event underscored the urgent need for a public commitment to treating child care as a shared responsibility, ensuring that all children in Wisconsin have access to the high-quality early education they deserve.
For more information on the Fond du Lac County Child Care Network and learn more about the crisis in the county visit https://www.envisiongreaterfdl.com/child-care/.
To learn more on how you can support this cause, please contact WECAN at https://www.wecanaction.com/ or email [email protected].