The Fond du Lac County Child Care Network hosted an an event Dec. 11 to discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding child care in the community.
Angela Schmitz, Owner/Director of Lily Pad Learning Center, delivered a presentation highlighting the importance of accessible, affordable, and quality child care for families, businesses, and the broader economy.
Joined by community leaders, local businesses, and advocates, Schmitz emphasized the child care industry is at a critical juncture.
“Child care providers are the workforce behind the workforce,” Schmitz said. “Yet, the economics of child care are broken, with providers struggling to balance the high costs of care and the low wages paid to essential teachers. Without intervention, the system will become unsustainable for families and providers alike.”
Key issues Schmitz identified:
- Affordability: Families often pay more for child care than college tuition, with tuition rates rising due to insufficient funding. When federal relief ends in June 2025, centers may face tuition increases of 10–20%, putting quality care out of reach for many families.
- Accessibility: More than half of Wisconsin is classified as a “child care desert,” where demand significantly exceeds supply. In Fond du Lac County, only 1,523 licensed spots are available for 5,262 children under 5, leaving 60% without access to licensed care.
- Quality: Low wages and high turnover rates among child care teachers jeopardize the quality of care provided. Child care teachers are among the lowest paid workers in the state, averaging $13.78 an hour.
Wisconsin Early Childhood Action Needed is urging the state to invest $2 billion to stabilize and strengthen the child care system, which would include raising wages by $10 per hour for child care workers and creating a long-term Wisconsin Teachers Fund.
