Special to IFN

RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is releasing $67.5 million  in stop gap funding this week in an effort to stabilize North Carolina’s early childhood education and child care centers, the last scheduled payment of Child Care Stabilization Grants.

Initiated in 2021, Child Care Stabilization Grants have been critical in keeping child care centers open and improving early childhood teacher pay. Earlier this year, the Republican-led General Assembly provided the $67.5 million to continue Child Care Stabilization Grants through December 31, 2024, however at a reduced funding level.

“North Carolina relies on high-quality early childhood education and child care to support children’s healthy development and learning, allow parents to work and keep businesses running,” Gov. Roy Cooper said. “But these programs are now in crisis and we need the legislature to step up and make real investments before more child care centers close, more early childhood educators quit and programs become unaffordable for too many parents.”

Child Care Stabilization Grants currently support 3,763 early childhood education and child care facilities across the state. A recent statewide survey shows that nearly one-third of North Carolina child care centers are at risk of closing their doors when the Child Care Stabilization Grants that are made possible by federal funding end. Without additional investment, survey results show that North Carolina’s child care centers will lose quality teachers, have difficulty hiring, and will have to raise fees on parents.

North Carolina has seen a net loss of 116 child care centers in the last year. Without additional funding, more child care centers will close and more parents will face fees that they cannot afford. Infant care in North Carolina now costs 28 percent more than in-state tuition for a four-year public college.

Cooper declared 2024 as the Year of Public Schools and has been touring public schools and early childhood education programs across the state calling for investments in K-12 education, early childhood education and teacher pay. Cooper has also called for a stop to state spending on vouchers for unaccountable and unregulated private schools until North Carolina’s public schools are fully funded.

Governor Cooper is committed to prioritizing public schools and early childhood education and to hearing from the many communities across the state who know that strong public schools and early learning programs ensure we have strong communities.

LEARN MORE

♦ Read “The Year of Public Schools” proclamation HERE.
♦ Read more about the truth of North Carolina’s voucher program HERE.