NCLCCA President Proud to Highlight Providers at Governor’s Appreciation Reception
Last week (May 20), NCLCCA President Dan Rockaway and his wife, Martha, were in front-row, reserved seats at an “Appreciation Reception” hosted by Governor Josh Stein at the Executive Mansion where he proclaimed May 8 “Child Care Provider Appreciation Day” in North Carolina. (You can read the governor’s full proclamation on his website HERE.) Also, in attendance at the invitation-only event were NCLCA Board members Alicia Fink and Bill Batts, the association’s lobbyist, Sherry Melton and several members.
In addition to expressing appreciation to licensed child care operators, teachers and other staff that provide such critical, important services to North Carolina families, Governor Stein underscored investments in child care that he included in his state budget proposal to state legislators in the NC General Assembly: “Child care providers across the state provide high-quality care to kids in their most formative years and make it possible for parents to stay in the workforce,” he said. “That’s why my budget proposal invests in families, child care, and early education. No investment has a better return than an investment in our young children.”
The governor’s budget recommendations for child care included for a rate increase and new statewide rate floor for the subsidized child care program, along with a rate increase for NC Pre-K providers, to help licensed programs remain sustainable and recruit and retain the teachers they need. It will be up to state legislators, however, to ultimately decide how and where to additional funding for child care in the next state budget.
NC Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt and Senator Jim Burgin (R-Harnett), who co-chair the governor’s Task Force on Child Care and Early Education, also spoke to guests at the event. Sen. Burgin, a long-running champion of licensed child care in the state legislature, said: “Strong families are the foundation of a strong North Carolina, and child care providers are essential partners in that work.” He added, “When we invest in quality child care, we are investing in parents’ ability to work and in our children’s healthy development. Supporting child care providers is one of the most pro-family choices we can make as a state.”
Other speakers included Susan Gale Perry, CEO of Child Care Aware America and also a member of the governor’s Task Force, and DCDEE Director Candace Witherspoon.
NCLCCA President’s DC Visit
Last week, NCLCCA President Dan Rockaway traveled to Washington, D.C. to serve as a panelist for a congressional briefing co-hosted by the (U.S.) House Bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus and the Early Care and Education Consortium. Dan and his wife, Martha, are the owners of Sounds & Colors, with four schools in the Triangle.
The panel discussion focused on the importance of child care subsidy systems and the role of a strong mixed-delivery model in ensuring families have access to high-quality early education options across communities. Dan was able to share perspectives from North Carolina as both a child care provider and advocate, highlighting the opportunities and challenges facing early childhood education today.
Following the panel, Dan met with Representative Valerie Foushee (D-NC-4) and staff from the offices of Representative Alma Adams (D-NC-12) and Representative James Comer (R-KY-1) to discuss issues impacting child care providers, families, and the workforce. I’m grateful for the continued bipartisan dialogue around strengthening early childhood systems and investing in children, families, and educators.
New Mexico runs tens of millions of dollars over budget for universal child care
Santa Fe New Mexican, May 10, 2026
Editor’s Note: This article has been included because New Mexico’s recent action(s) to establish and fund “universal” child care has been lauded and pointed to as an example for other states, including North Carolina, to follow.
“New Mexico’s state-subsidized childcare program has the better part of $1 billion over the next several years to fund an expansion to free, universal access. But the state Early Childhood Education and Care Department started overspending just weeks into the launch of the expansion, analysts from the Legislative Finance Committee said last week. The overspending, fueled by unforeseen enrollment increases, could continue to snarl budgeting efforts in coming years, committee staff said, and has led to renewed questions about the sustainability of one of New Mexico’s flagship programs for improving the well-being of young children.” Read the full article HERE...