Child care is dropping off a federal funding cliff. What it means for families
LOS ANGELES -- Sirens are sounding for American families that on Saturday the nation will fall off a "child-care cliff."
That's when $37 billion in child-care pandemic relief from the federal government will expire. Across the nation, providers have used that money to pay their teachers more, buy cleaning supplies and food amid rising inflation, and keep their doors open despite low enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.An additional $15 billion in federal child-care relief is set to expire in September 2024.
The emergency money was meant as a Band-Aid to sustain an industry hobbled by the pandemic shutdowns. But the loss of funds could have significant consequences for an industry already on the brink of crisis.
How is the loss of federal funds predicted to affect the child-care industry nationally?
An oft-cited report from the Century Foundation, a progressive think tank, found that more than 70,000 child-care programs — one-third of those supported by the American Rescue Plan stabilization funding — could close when funds expire, leaving 3.2 million children without child care.
, which received $5 billion in federal funds, the report
