Sly James: Want to improve Missouri’s economy? We need to solve the child care crisis

As the founder of a consulting and strategy firm and former mayor of Kansas City, I know what it takes to repair and sustain our economy. While in local government, I was a major advocate for early childhood. I understood investing in our youngest learners is essential to the strength of our community. I stand by that belief today.

Our workforce relies on the productivity of working parents — the mothers, fathers and guardians who often struggle to balance work and family life. These parents need high-quality, affordable, and accessible child care programs so they can go to work knowing that their children are in a stimulating and supportive environment. That peace of mind allows parents to be productive and present on the job, which encourages economic success. Unfortunately, in Missouri and around the country, the child care sector is in crisis.

The yearlong pandemic has illuminated many problems with the current child care system. In Missouri, there are approximately 368,000 children under age 5, and 71% of these children have both available parents in the workforce. There are more than 2,800 licensed child care providers in the state, but nearly half of these providers do not accept child care subsidies, leaving many eligible children unserved.

That deficit contributes to the majority of Missouri residents (54%) living in a child care desert, an area in which there are more than three times as many children as licensed child care slots. Shortages of care for infants and toddlers, especially during nontraditional hours, are even more acute. At the same time, infant care in Missouri costs more on average than in-state public college tuition, while early childhood teachers earn much less than kindergarten teachers.

The global health emergency has only exacerbated these problems, straining the child care sector on both ends: providers and the families who use their services. The pandemic has led to the closure of many child care providers that have struggled to stay operational and safe. Adherence to evolving protocols often requires additional costs that are burdensome and often impede these operations’ ability to remain open.

The fragility of the child care sector is significantly damaging our economy. A 2019 report from ReadyNation, a sibling organization of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Council for a Strong America, found that the infant and toddler child care crisis costs our national economy $57 billion per year in lost earnings, productivity and revenue. This concerning number has most likely increased throughout the pandemic. We cannot afford to neglect this industry. As lawmakers consider the way forward in repairing our economy, they must prioritize the child care sector.

Congress has demonstrated progress in supporting the child care sector and recently made historic investments in child care through the American Rescue Plan. The bill provides $15 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant program and $24 billion for a child care stabilization fund. It also includes important tax provisions to help make child care more affordable for families by expanding and making fully refundable the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. If allocated appropriately, these funds can start to help Missouri families get access to the high-quality child care programs they desperately need.

While the American Rescue Plan is a great step forward, there is more to be done. Missouri and other states need to allocate that money strategically, and we collectively need to build towards a child care system that more sustainably provides quality, affordable care for families. Meaningful investments in the child care sector are needed so that working families and child care providers start to see real, lasting change — change that will mean a stronger workforce, stronger economy and stronger families.

Sly James was mayor of Kansas City from 2011 to 2019. He is co-founder of Wickham James Strategies and Solutions. He is a member of ReadyNation and resides in Kansas City.