On Monday, North Carolina's Governor Josh Stein set in motion a new task force dedicated to overhauling the state's child care and early education system. The North Carolina Task Force on Child Care and Early Education, as announced by Stein, aims to make child care more affordable and accessible while also bolstering support for the child care workforce, as detailed by the Governor's office.
“Access to high-quality child care ensures that North Carolina’s children can learn and thrive during their formative years, which shapes their educational trajectory,” Governor Stein stated in a press release. The task force comes at a critical moment, addressing the stark reality that only one child care spot is available for every five families desiring one in North Carolina. Additionally, the challenge of affordability is significant, with 80% of families spending more than the recommended 7% of their income on infant care.
The formation of this task force is not just about children, but about sustaining the workforce too. Governor Stein's focus on this issue was brought into sharp relief during his first State of the State address this week, where he reiterated his commitment to the well-being of the state's youngest residents and their families. Tackling the dual challenge of child care access and workforce support, the governor hopes to keep more individuals in the workforce, preventing the dilemma of job discontinuation due to child care issues.
The members of the task force are a diverse group, including legislators, such as Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt and Senator Jim Burgin, who will serve as co-chairs, as well as business leaders, parents, and early childhood education experts. The task force's collective experience is intended to foster comprehensive discourse and actionable strategies in the pursuit of a revamped child care system. Early childhood educators are a particular focus, with a poverty rate 17.6% higher than the average of all NC workers, a condition contributing to the strain already placed on the existing child care workforce, as per the Governor's office.
Among the task force, diverse voices like those of Rhonda Rivers, Chair of the North Carolina Child Care Commission and President of the North Carolina Early Education Coalition, and Dan Rockaway, President of the NC Licensed Child Care Association, will add depth to the discussions on practical solutions.
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