What Does President Biden’s Proposal for Free Universal Preschool Mean for Licensed Child Care Providers? And How Can We Make an Impact for Children, Families & the Child Care Industry?  

Near the end of April, President Joe Biden called for free universal preschool in our country. In his “American Families Plan,” the president proposed creating a partnership with states to provide “free, high-quality, accessible and inclusive preschool” to all 3- and 4-year-olds, which he said would cost about $200 billion to implement. President Biden has proposed several tax increases to fund the American Families Plan. 

The president’s announcement caused both excitement and alarm for NC licensed child care providers. Providers are justifiably excited about the potential for robust funding for child care that would help them increase teacher/staff pay and help millions more families who need care afford the high costs. At the same time, however, private community-based licensed child care providers are understandably worried that the plan will move 3- and 4-year-olds they serve out of their classrooms and into public school settings – for no good reasons. NCLCCA heard from many of its members about these concerns and activity and discussions in provider social media groups exploded around this topic.

Here is what NCLCCA wants its members and advocates to know about President Bident’s American Families Plan and other legislation with similar child care proposals under consideration in Congress:

• While NCLCCA is a North Carolina organization focused on working with elected state legislators in the NC General Assembly, Governor Cooper’s Administration/DCDEE and NC regulatory bodies such as the NC Child Care Commission to influence State child care policies, we are also engaged with what’s happening in Washington, DC (in Congress, President Biden’s Administration and Federal agencies) that would impact licensed providers here at home. 
  
• NCLCCA is a member (and serves on the Board) of the Early Care & Education Consortium (ECEC) – an influential national advocacy organization for licensed child care providers headquartered in Washington, DC. ECEC represents over 6,500 programs in 48 states, including North Carolina, and is hard at work on child care issues at the Federal level for its members, including the universal preschool proposals in the American Families Plan. As a member of NCLCCA, you are well represented by a strong group of professionals not just here at home, but in our nation’s capital, as well.
• NCLCCA and ECEC are working together to help state and national leaders understand the critical importance of a “mixed-delivery” preschool/pre-K system that includes community-based, private licensed child care providers. It would be foolhardy for Congress and the President not to leverage your existing expertise, prior investments and capacity to maximize the number of children and families served and empower families with ample access and choices to meet their diverse needs. 
  

This is certainly not the last you will hear from us about “universal preschool” and the American Families Plan. It’s just the beginning. Over the next 6-8 weeks as Congress continues to work on the president’s proposal, we will be sharing updates and even calling on you to contact your elected representatives in the US Senate and House to explain why our country and state need the child care industry in order to meet their preschool/pre-K goals. 

We need your voice and involvement! We respect your time and effort so we’ll work hard to provide you what you need to be an effective advocate for your business and the industry as a whole. Review the attachments (links at the bottom) - and keep your eye on your email Inbox since that’s the primary way we communicate with you! 

Here is an Op/Ed written and published this week by North Carolina’s senior US Senator Richard Burr, promoting a “mixed-used” preschool/pre-K delivery system. Feel free to share all these resources far and wide!