By Beth Oppenheimer | Opinion on Idaho Statesman
Last year, Idaho was the recipient a $6 million annual grant for three years with a focus to improve Idaho’s early childhood education system. This grant was a follow-on to a previously successfully administered grant that allowed local communities to set up their own strategic plans related to early learning. U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch were strong proponents of the grant because it would have directly benefitted Idaho communities.
Struggling to find affordable child care? You're not alone.
Finding and securing child care in the Treasure Valley is a lot easier said than done. Many parents are on year-long waitlists, in part, due to staffing shortages.
Read the entire article on KIVI Channel 6.
By Sophie Quinton | Updated January 12, 2022 | Stateline Pew Trusts
Photo: Elaine Thompson | Associated Press
Federal COVID-19 relief dollars for child care providers will continue to flow through the states this year, cheered by both Republican and Democratic governors who say parents need affordable child care to get back to work.
But child care providers and advocates warn that the federal money, which expires in 2024, won’t solve the industry’s fundamental, long-term challenge: how to provide quality services and pay workers a competitive wage while keeping prices affordable.
By Margaret Carmel - BoiseDev Sr Reporter
Boise is hoping to bring a little relief to the struggling childcare industry.
This fall, the city council gave an enthusiastic thumbs up to a series of three proposals to relieve some of the regulatory hoops childcare workers have jump through to get licensed in city limits. These suggestions were proposed by a childcare task force made up of local business leaders, childcare providers and industry experts convened by Mayor Lauren McLean earlier this year.
The changes include the possibility of a temporary license that would allow childcare workers who have passed local and state background checks to start work while they are waiting on their federal check to clear. The task force also suggested waiving fees for new and renewed licenses and covering the cost of required CPR training for childcare workers.
Read the entire article on the Idaho Press.
Lee Pesky Learning Center (LPLC) recently received support in the amount of $600,000 from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to increase high quality childcare through training and coaching early childcare providers using research-based best practices to support whole child development.
Eric Tegethoff, Public News Service
Image courtesy of Mary Altaffer / Associated Press
Listen to the interview on Idaho Matters.
Child care resources across our state have been shrinking—which has led to fewer options for working families. And many childhood experts say we are now at a point of crisis in Idaho.
Beth Oppenheimer, Executive Director of the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children, and Alex Labeau, Executive Director of the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry, join Idaho Matters today to discuss how these shortages are impacting Idaho businesses.
Read the full story on The Lewiston Tribune
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, half of Idaho families were living in child care deserts. Some rural communities lacked child care centers. Even in metropolitan areas, however, the capacity fell short of meeting the need.
Kelcie Moseley-Morris, Idaho Capital Sun
For child care providers in Boise, finding a potential employee who already has a license to care for children is like finding a unicorn. They are special, rare and competitive.
In nearly every city surrounding Boise, including Meridian and Eagle, an employee needs only to pass a background check with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, have proper training in CPR and first aid and commit to four hours of training per year to be able to start working.
