Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal could take a significant step toward addressing Pennsylvania’s child care crisis, including a targeted investment of $55 million to recruit and retain child care workers.
This initiative is particularly vital in Schuylkill County, where families struggle with access to affordable child care due to workforce shortages.
During his budget address, Governor Shapiro highlighted the pressing need for solutions, stating, “Too many young parents are forced to exit the workforce because they can’t find affordable child care.” He acknowledged past efforts to alleviate affordability issues but stressed the necessity of expanding availability as well.
Shapiro pointed to a critical statistic: Pennsylvania currently has 3,000 unfilled child care jobs. Filling these vacancies would allow 25,000 more children to access child care, easing the burden on working parents.
A key advocate in this initiative is Michelle C, executive director of The Perception Training Center in Pottsville. Dallago, who was invited to the governor’s budget address, has firsthand experience with the challenges of child care staffing. Her center alone has 338 children on its waiting list.
“The initiative for staff recruitment and retention will have a tremendous impact – not only on The Perception Training Center but also on child care centers across the Commonwealth,” Dallago said. “Child care workers play a vital role in shaping young minds, yet they often face low wages and high turnover. With this funding, we can offer better wages, professional development, and the support our educators need to stay in the field and continue making a difference.”
Governor Shapiro’s proposal includes at least $1,000 in recruitment or retention bonuses for child care workers, a move aimed at making wages more competitive and attracting more professionals to the field.
The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce has expressed strong support for this investment. President and CEO Robert S. Carl, Jr. emphasized the broader economic benefits, stating, “By addressing the teacher shortage, we can keep high-quality child care centers open, enable parents who want to work to rejoin the workforce, and support employers in retaining their staff and building their talent pipelines.”
The Schuylkill Chamber is part of a coalition of 60 local chambers and economic development organizations advocating for continued legislative support for the proposed funding.
Carl extended his appreciation to the coalition members for their leadership over the past two years, reinforcing the need for bipartisan backing in the legislature to ensure these funds reach the communities that need them most.