Yesterday and today, Texas leaders made headlines with major policy announcements regarding child care and the coronavirus pandemic.
The high level of attention was a reminder that child care — and our state’s policies on child care — are critical to rebuilding our economy, protecting public health, and giving infants and toddlers a strong foundation during the critical early years of brain development.
As you've probably heard by now, Governor Abbott announced yesterday that child care providers may now serve all children, not just the kids of essential workers.
Many Texans are concerned about the public health impact of opening up child care. As child care opens up, it will be important for state leaders to closely monitor the public health impact and consider the safety concerns of families, child care staff, and health experts. During the pandemic, the safest option is for parents to keep their kids at home, so we encourage employers to support remote working options and paid leave. Additionally, child care providers should closely follow the COVID-19 child care safety guidelines established by state officials.
If the goal is to ensure that parents have the child care they need when they are ready to go to work, state leaders will also need to use federal dollars to provide direct funding to child care providers to help them financially survive the pandemic. As we explained in the Dallas Morning News, child care providers will face increased expenses but they won’t be able to serve the typical number of children — and generate their typical tuition revenue — as they limit enrollment to meet new safety requirements, equip staff with protective gear, and increase spending on sanitation. In addition, many concerned parents may opt to keep their children at home. Without financial support from the state, child care providers simply will not be able to cover the costs of rent, supplies, and salaries. Many child care providers will be forced to permanently shut down their businesses when the Texas economy needs them most.
That brings us to the state's second big announcement this week — the decision to start pulling back financial support for child care providers and the essential workers and low-income parents who need child care. As we told the Texas Tribune, the decision runs the risk of making child care unaffordable for many essential employees and forcing child care providers to consider closing their doors. State leaders need to closely monitor the viability of child care providers and be prepared to provide additional federal dollars to keep them standing. Furthermore, Texas should offer federal funding to providers outside of the state's subsidy system. So far, the state has only directed funding to those providers who accept subsidies.
The good news is that officials at the Texas Workforce Commission and other state agencies are working hard to address child care concerns. We appreciate their efforts and will continue to work closely with them.
Finally, we all need to remember that child care policy decisions — as well as other responses to the pandemic — must consider what is best for kids, not just adults. Infants, toddlers, and other little kids need child care to be nurturing, attentive, effective, and safe — not just a building where they spend the day. When it comes to child care, Texas needs a longer term plan to ensure families have access to affordable, high-quality child care care that provides kids with the social, emotional, and learning tools they will need in school. And when it comes to responding to coronavirus, state leaders and advocates need to recognize that while the virus is a more direct threat to older Texans, in many ways it is also disrupting young kids' healthy development. Children will need to be a priority as Texas leaders continue to fashion the state's coronavirus strategy over the next year.
We appreciate your partnership in these efforts and look forward to continuing to work with you.