State Budget Update: Governor’s Child Care Cuts

A recent report to legislators noted that more than 435,000 children are currently enrolled in state-supported child care programs. The governor's proposal would reduce 142,000 of those child care slots by eliminating CalWORKs child care and massively reducing general child care support. Only the state preschool program would remain intact under the proposal.   

Cutting state child care would also result in the loss of crucial jobs. Under the current proposal, an estimated 130,000 child care providers state-wide would be affected, with 62,000 childcare centers at risk of closure. According to the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network, child care providers in California are already struggling to survive in this economy. 

Ending child care assistance could also result in California losing federal funding. California currently receives an estimated $3.7 billion in matching funds for CalWORKs, and another $660 million in federal dollars for child care funding. With the proposal to decimate both programs, the state risks losing billions of dollars in federal matching funds.

State legislators attacked the proposal during a budget committee hearing last week.  Assemblymember Sandré Swanson (D-Oakland) noted that, with the accompanying economic losses, "This becomes a loser in a lot of ways." Budget committee members subsequently rejected the proposed cuts.

Does your organization provide state-funded child care?  First 5 LA would like to hear from you about the potential impact child care funding cuts would have on your services, your centers, and your families. Please post your stories in our "comments" section, or email Ruel Nolledo at, RNolledo@First5LA.org.

Resources:

• 2009 Child Care in the State of California

• California Department of Education: Child Care and Development Programs

• Child Care Issues In California

• Child Care Funding for School Districts 2008

• Campaign to Save Child Care

• LAO Analysis of May Revise