(Des Moines) The governor’s legislative proposal aimed at improving access to child care across the state advanced through subcommittees in both chambers Wednesday.
There were many supporters of Senate Study Bill 1135 who spoke at the meetings Wednesday, praising the measure for addressing what many said was a top concern for Iowa families and businesses seeking to attract workers to the state. Other groups registered as “undecided” also praised Gov. Kim Reynolds for taking on the issue — though they had concerns about some aspects of the legislation.
The bill makes multiple changes to existing state child care infrastructure. It would establish a new $16 million competitive grant pilot program, providing three-year grants of up to $100,000 annually for preschool providers and child care centers to provide full-day care for children. The grants would use a combination of existing Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) funding and federal Child Care and Development Fund Wrap Around Child Care funds.
The bill would also shift roughly $3.6 million in funding currently going to the Shared Visions program for at-risk children from birth to age 5 be used for grants going toward programs focused on at-risk 3- and 4-year-old children.
Molly Severn, legislative liaison for the governor’s office, said Iowa ranks fifth in the nation for 4-year-old access to preschool, but families still face problems accessing these services because they do not provide full-day care. She said the governor’s proposal would leverage existing state programs and funds to expand full-day care availability in the state.
“While preschool is widely available, some working families cannot participate if the program only covers a portion of the day, or would require midday transportation to child care,” Severn said at the Senate subcommittee meeting. “Parents need a solution that meets the demands of their busy lives, one that allows their children to benefit from our successful preschool program and and have access to child care.”
Elizabeth Stanek, executive director for Linking Families and Communities and president of the Association for Early Childhood Iowa Area Boards and Advocates, said while the “continuum of care” grants would benefit Iowa communities, using roughly 42% of existing ECI funds would have an impact on those providers who serve a wider range of children than are served through preschool programs.
“Taking those out for the broader population will definitely have an impact locally on what is provided, such things as infant and early childhood mental health services, 3-year-old preschool,” Stanek said. “Early childhood doesn’t begin at four, it begins at birth.”
The measure also proposes allowing community-based providers to receive funds directly through the statewide preschool program instead of contracting with public school districts.
Education advocates also brought up concerns about ensuring that child care providers getting funds through the statewide preschool program are held to the same educational standards as public school providers, such as requiring child care workers to have a license. McKenzie Snow, director of the Iowa Department of Education, said allowing these providers to directly work with the Department of Education for funding would not change the program’s professional requirements.
“Regardless of which pathway is chosen, there will be consistent standards, including licensing requirements, across all statewide voluntary school program providers,” Snow said.
The measure would also make permanent the child care assistance pilot program, providing free child care to child care workers — a proposal unanimously praised at the subcommittee meeting.
Sen. Tom Shipley, R-Nodaway, said the bill was still a “work in progress” and thanked advocates for coming to the subcommittee, saying refinements will be made as the measure progresses through the legislative process.
“I’ve seen these things come and go before,” Shipley said. “Anything this size and this important needs to keep being worked on, to address what these people, the everyday people, understand needs to happen. But I think we’re on an awfully good path.”
