City of Columbus Announces $3.5 Million for New Child Care Initiatives
Today Mayor Andrew J. Ginther and other city and community
leaders announced $3.5 million in American Rescue Plan funding to support
working families and address critical labor shortages in the child care
industry. Initiatives receiving funds include signing bonuses and a competitive
marketing campaign to help attract new teachers and affordability scholarships
targeting working-class families and female trade workers and small-business
owners.
“As the pandemic continues, working families across
Columbus, like much of the nation, still face significant hurdles when
reentering the workforce, especially when trying to secure affordable, reliable
child care,” said Mayor Ginther. "By dedicating these resources to reduce
their costs, as well as help the industry increase capacity to meet demand, we
are providing vital relief to individuals and families doing their best to lead
happy, healthy and productive lives during what remains a very challenging and
uncertain time.”
“Families in Columbus deserve affordable, convenient child
care and early-learning choices,” said Columbus City Council President Shannon
Hardin. “Not only are these critical investments for the development of
Columbus’ youngest residents, but they give families the flexibility to earn
more and build a better life.”
According to the Ohio Association of Child Care Providers,
76% of Ohio child care centers currently have openings to hire new staff, while
61% have either closed or reduced classroom sizes due to personnel shortages.
Forty-nine percent of child care centers have denied new enrollments as a
result of inadequate staffing levels, and 50% have enacted waiting lists until
additional staff members are hired.
The city is dedicating $500,000 to fund 500 one-time $1,000
signing bonuses to help child care centers recruit new teachers or rehire those
who previously left the labor market. Another $500,000 will support a marketing
campaign to assist in recruitment efforts. Both initiatives will be led and
administered by Action for Children, a child care resource and referral agency
for central Ohio.
At the same time, the state of Ohio has one of the lowest
income eligibility limits for child care subsidies in the nation, creating
considerable financial pressures for many working-class families – with the
average cost of child care exceeding $10,000 per year. Furthermore, a July 2021
Politico article found that 1.8 million women have left the workforce
during the pandemic.
To address these issues, the city is devoting $2.5 million
for 250 scholarships of up to $10,000 for low-income families earning too much
to qualify for subsides.
“Access to high-quality child care is a matter of basic
infrastructure that supports our economy and invests in the future by preparing
our kids for success,” said Council President Pro Tem and Education Chair
Elizabeth Brown. “If we want to do right by families, and our critical
early-learning workforce, we must continue focusing on investments that sustain
an affordable and equitable early-learning landscape that all families can
access and where workers are supported.”
“Access to high-quality, affordable child care is one of the
greatest challenges families face and often is a barrier to economic mobility
for low-income moms and dads,” said Franklin County Commissioner Erica C.
Crawley. “This is a workforce issue particularly for mothers, whose salaries
are adversely impacted throughout their careers, due to their disproportionate
childrearing responsibilities. This announcement today works well with Franklin
County’s efforts to ensure our children have access to high-quality child
care.”
Legislation authorizing the use of these funds will be
presented to Columbus City Council in the coming weeks.