NEW GLARUS — On May 12, the 4th annual National Day of Action is taking place again. The Green County Child Care Network (GCCCN) will hold an event from 9 to 11 a.m. at the New Glarus Village Park under the gazebo, with the backup plan at The Growing Tree Child Care Center.
The event aims to bring awareness to early care and education/childcare and its foundational role in our communities and economic success bringing educators, families, childcare program business owners, other business owners, elected officials, and community members together.
GCCCN is holding the event because studies have shown that an Early Childhood Education (ECE) teacher is one of the most impactful teachers a person will ever have in their lifetime, and that access to high quality, affordable, and accessible child care is imperative for thriving families and communities. Approximately 90% of brain development occurs during the first five years of life, making those years the foundation years of determining the type of person they will grow into.
“ When children experience quality early childhood education, they are more likely to graduate from high school, more likely to be healthier both physically and mentally, and more likely to earn higher income wages,” said Hendrickson. “Additionally, children are also less likely to enter the penal system and less likely to need public assistance when they receive quality early childhood care. The research is unequivocal that it is the relationship between the ECE teacher and the child that determines the quality of care.”
That relationship can also buffer children against adversity like living in poverty, exposure to violence, and trauma.
“The ECE teacher is extremely valuable,” Hendrickson said.
In Wisconsin the average pay for the group center teacher is $13.66 an hour — up from $10.66 because of the Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA funds) with 80% also not receiving benefits. Family childcare averages $7.42 an hour.
“The childcare industry is supported on the backs of those educators, and this approach is harmful to our children and our economy. The reason wages are low is because child care businesses cannot charge the true cost of care and remain affordable for working parents,” Hendrickson said. “Parents already pay 13-24% of income per child. Seven percent is the affordable amount calculated by economists.”
Green County average monthly tuition at family child care programs is $780 (up 13%) for infants and $1,151 (up 18% from 2022) for group centers. However, the Department and Children and Families has calculated the true cost at $1,800 a month. The approximate $600-1,000 loss comes out of wages since the high cost of food, insurance, building, utilities, taxes, vehicles, and maintenance gets prioritized before wages are calculated, according to Hendrickson.
County surveys prior to the budget showed that programs will be increasing tuition rates between 20-30% or forecasting they will need to close, or lose staff, shuttering even more rooms. A follow up survey in January showed that Green County programs did indeed raise their rates 13-18% to offset that cut to the federal ARPA funding and the lack of investing in Child Care Counts at the state level.
“The reason it was about half of what was predicted was the governor was able to claw back unspent ARPA funds from other departments to allocate 50% of the original amount,” Hendrickson said.
Child Care Counts were reduced an additional 20% starting in March 2023 through July 2025 as the budget is smaller. This resulted in another 5-10% tuition increase in 2024. Green County is 740 slots short — not counting an additional 100 slots considered available due to closed classrooms — costing the community $26 million annually.
“This is an improvement from a year ago, but still not enough,” Hendrickson said.
Confirmed speakers for the event are Deputy Director of Public Instruction, Thomas McCarthy, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Beth Haskovec, Senior Director Office of Rural Prosperity, Steve Donovan, Green County Supervisor, Olivia Otte of Green County Workforce Development, community member Sue Nelson, Heather DuBois Bourenane of Wisconsin Public Education Network, Rep. Jenna Jacobson, Corrine Hendrickson of Corrine’s Little Explorers, Brooke Legler, of The Growing Tree, parent Chelsea Chandler, Dr. Jennifer Thayer, New Glarus School District Administrator, Bill Oemichen, New Glarus School Board President and Cortney Barry, New Glarus Chamber Director.
Updated speakers will be added to the Facebook event as they are confirmed. Organizers also will be welcoming individuals who are inspired to speak up to share their stories after the scheduled speakers are finished.
Last month, the Department of Children and Families released a report about the consequences of allowing the current child care investment program expire. Green County is looking at a loss of up to 50% of the regulated child care programs, 44% predict room closures due to loss of teachers when pay needs to be reduced or not enough parents can afford the predicted $26 or more weekly tuition increase per child.
