The real crisis in education
By NewsPress Now
Four years ago, the University of Missouri’s Institute of Public Policy produced a study that showed families paid an average of $9,880 a year for center-based infant care.
To put it in perspective, the cost of child care for newborns exceeded the average annual tuition at a state university. The economic burden on young families is largely overlooked, possibly because college graduates are a lot better at lobbying for student loan forgiveness or pointing out the rising cost of a college education.
It’s becoming clear that the real crisis in education revolves around those who are 18 months rather than 18 years old. Fortunately, parents of Missouri’s youngest citizens have a strong advocate in state Rep. Brenda Shields, a Republican who represents parts of St. Joseph and Buchanan County.
Shields sponsored House Bill 1488, a measure that would establish three different tax credits aimed at making child care more affordable and accessible. Her efforts have shined a light on a crisis that festered for years but became more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Too many Missourians live in child care deserts. One study finds that 41% of counties lacked access to an accredited child care facility.
Those who can find child care will learn that the cost can be overwhelming, especially for single parents or those living at or near poverty. The University of Missouri study found that on average single parents pay 40% of their income on center-based infant care.
The current situation keeps a large segment of the population out of the workforce, hurting employers and adults who are unable to fully participate in the economy. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation estimates that Missouri loses $1.3 billion annually from the workforce disruption caused by lack of child care.
The emergence of child care as an economic urgency is one reason why Gov. Mike Parson is now on board. He praised Shields and her efforts in his state-of-the-state address.
There is, in addition, an issue of fairness that must be acknowledged. Missouri’s Republican majority has taken a hard line on abortion and access to certain government benefits. It’s a stance that’s short-sighted at best, and mean-spirited at worst, without a strong corresponding focus on doing something significant to boost child care.
HB 1448 sailed through the House on a vote of 113-39, a level of support that reflects a growing consensus that child care is just as important to the state’s economy as highway infrastructure. The measure heads to the Senate – not exactly the state’s greatest deliberative body in recent years – so passage is by no means guaranteed.
Shields has at least done the state a service in raising the profile of child care as a critical issue. The Senate should go one step further and pass HB 1488 into law.
