Wisconsin's Child Care Crisis: A Closer Look at the Budget Battle

Wisconsin's child care providers are facing a tough situation. The state's new budget is almost ready, but not everyone is happy with it. Some child care centers say they need more help than what's being offered. The budget has set aside $330 million for child care over the next two years. But providers say this might not be enough to fix the problems they're facing. They're worried about rising costs and the end of a program called Child Care Counts, which helped them pay their staff. Julia Bennker, who runs Ms. Julia's Schoolia, thinks the budget won't solve the waiting list problem or stop centers from closing. She's also worried about tuition going up. Cassandra Stoeklen, who owns The Learn Tree Child Care Center, agrees. She says parents are already paying a lot for child care, and they expect quality care in return. The budget includes a bridge program to replace Child Care Counts, but some providers say it's not enough. They're also concerned about having to raise prices, which could force parents to look for cheaper, but maybe lower-quality care. Despite the concerns, some providers are grateful for the funding. But they all agree on one thing: children are the future, and investing in their care is crucial. They're hoping lawmakers will step up and provide more support.