Democratic lawmakers, parents and child care providers called for continued investments and funding for child care in Wisconsin at a press conference Tuesday.
The press conference comes just two weeks after Gov. Tony Evers declared 2025 the “Year of the Kid,” calling on Republicans to approve $500 million in funding to lower the cost of child care during his State of the State address.
“When child care is not accessible, it hurts the wellness of our children and the well being of our families,” Sen. Sarah Keyeski, D-Lodi, said at the press conference. “We must do all we can to support and uplift our hard working child care providers and families, protect our vulnerable children and strengthen our economy.”
Child care costs take 18% to 36% of a family’s income in Wisconsin, according to a 2023 study. In 2024, Evers signed a bipartisan bill to expand child and dependent care credit that will result in a $650 average benefit per filer for over 110,000 Wisconsin taxpayers.
While the bill will go into effect this year and will be visible on residents’ taxes, Keyeski sad there is more to be done.
“High quality, accessible child care is vital for a healthy successful society,” Keyeski said. “When we talk about the accessibility of child care, we mean both the cost to parents and the availability to providers where they live.”
Approximately 70% of rural families in Wisconsin live in child care deserts, or places where there are not enough child care providers available to meet the needs of families in the area due to increasing operational costs and staff shortages. Additionally, lack of child care costs Wisconsin at least $1 billion per year in economic productivity, earnings and revenue, according to the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.
Keyeski said investing in affordable and accessible child care not only makes it easier for new parents to return to work, it also bolsters Wisconsin's economy.
While child care affordability and access is not a new issue in Wisconsin, since the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost of child care in Wisconsin has risen significantly. Heather Murray, the founder owner and operator of Art House Pre School, said she has had to raise her wages $6 an hour to maintain competitive pay all while still not being able to provide insurance benefits to her employees.
Without additional funding from the state, Murray said she is worried she will have to increase tuition by up to $65 a week per child to keep her doors open and pay her staff.
“Hugs and love do not pay our employees or keep our doors open,” Murray said.
Cora Holme, a single mother, said during the press conference she struggled to find an affordable center with availability. While Holmes was able to take advantage of a partial scholarship at Art House Pre School, she said other families have had to go down to being single-income households or place their children in the care of elderly relatives.
Evers is set to release his 2025-27 budget request in full on Feb. 18. State lawmakers are expected to vote and approve a final version of the state’s spending plan before the new fiscal year begins on July 1.
