This story was reported and written by Radio IQ.
During the last legislative session, Virginia lawmakers expanded childcare and pre-K education, but it came at a price of over $400 million a year. Now, months later, that money is gone and there’s still thousands of families in need.
With the help of federal funding as part of the COVID-19 response, Virginia propped up investments into its childcare and pre-K system. Once that funding ran out, a bipartisan coalition — including Governor Glenn Youngkin — agreed more support was needed.
But now, those state funds keeping families in existing programs have also been spent. And Democratic Delegate Rodney Willet says there’s still about 10,000 more families in need.
“You could say we're victims of our own success," the Henrico delegate tells Radio IQ. "But I think really what it is is there’s just a lot of demand out there. We’re doing our best to meet it.”
Willet was optimistic for more funding in the future, calling it an economic multiplier.
“It benefits the kids, but it is also enabling parents to go to work,” he says.
Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner says Virginia’s increased standards for state-supported child care have also increased demand; higher quality programs develop high quality kids.
She hopes employers get more involved — whether it's through providing their own childcare or helping cover the costs.
“You have employers who are already stepping up and making this part of an incentive package to one, recruit but two, retain employees," Coyner says.
In a statement, Governor Youngkin also pointed toward employer contributions via a co-share program that he says, “adds employer contributions to family and state investments to more families across the Commonwealth.”
Coyner adds that an estimated $100 million more is needed to clear the waitlist; any additional funds could get added as a budget amendment during the 2025 session.
