There’s a new proposal to help fund child care and early education in Summit County, but it’s unclear whether officials will buy into the plan with a 2024 budget estimated to exceed $80 million.
Early Childhood Alliance Director Kristen Schulz is expected to ask the Summit County Council to allocate $330,000 to support families who need assistance paying for services and child–care providers. The money would fund the first phase of the proposal, which involves a needs-based scholarship program for residents making less than 65% of the area median income, which is around $90,000 for a family of four, as well as a match program for county employers to distribute the expenses.
The plan comes nearly six months after Schulz recommended the County Courthouse invest $3 million to stabilize providers in the greater Park City area. Officials at the time were not opposed to the idea, but they were hesitant about allocating funds amid a slew of other hot-button issues like an overhaul of emergency medical services, and affordable housing.
Park City Municipal earlier this year agreed to invest $1 million in one-time funding into the local early education sphere. The contribution will help fund a scholarship for eligible families with children who are not yet eligible for kindergarten and who live within the city limits. A three-person household earning $125,000, for example, could receive $658 a month from the tuition stipend.
“The (county) proposal aims to recognize the budgeting limitations of the current year, complement Park City’s program, and address some of the expressed interests … of increasing local use of the available federal subsidies and incentivizing employers to offer benefits to their employees,” Schulz said in an interview on Tuesday. “The fact that this is a complicated, expensive issue does not give us license to ignore it.”
Child care has increased by 220% nationwide over the past three decades, according to a staff report. Average payments have risen 32% since 2019, and families in Summit County pay between $400 and $2,800 a month for care.
Schulz said providers in Summit County are losing around $2.8 million a year in stabilization grants with the slowdown of pandemic-era federal funding. This is expected to lead to tuition hikes, reduced classes or centers closing and teacher pay cuts or layoffs.
If Summit County waits to take action, Schulz said it could cost more in the long run.
The new $330,000 request is in addition to the $150,000 currently budgeted to support Summit County employees. Around $200,000 of the request would be used for the employer match program, with one-third of the expenses shared by the employer, employee and the county.
The other dollars would go toward the scholarship program and leverage funds through the Utah Department of Workforce Services subsidy program.
The Park City Community Foundation is also willing to seek board approval for up to $50,000 to pay the administration fees if the county invests in early education.
“If the County Council allocates some funding in next year’s budget, this allows Summit County staff to work alongside local employers, families, and early care and education providers to address community needs. Absent any budget allocation, this issue will likely be more expensive and difficult to address during next year’s budgeting process given the loss of federal funds,” Schulz said.
She advocated for the government funding child care and early education because of the public benefits it has, such as closing the achievement gap, helping employers attract and retain employees, strengthening local schools, breaking the cycle of poverty and more.
The second phase of the proposal looks at 2024 and beyond as a way to secure sustainable funding. There is no cost estimate at this time as officials plan to examine what is working well and what is still needed.
Schulz and Deputy County Manager Janna Young are expected to start the discussion around 1:50 p.m. on Wednesday. The meeting will be held in person at the Summit County Courthouse in Coalville and streamed online.
The County Council is also scheduled to have other budget discussions this week. Public hearings are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Dec. 6 and 13 at the Sheldon Richins Building and the County Courthouse, respectively.