Josh Stein, Governor of North Carolina State (left) & JEC Chairman David Schweikert (right) | Oficial website
Josh Stein, Governor of North Carolina State (left) & JEC Chairman David Schweikert (right) | Oficial website
Governor Josh Stein has introduced the North Carolina Task Force on Child Care and Early Education. The initiative aims to enhance access to affordable, high-quality child care and early education throughout the state while also supporting the growth of the child care workforce.
“Access to high-quality child care ensures that North Carolina’s children can learn and thrive during their formative years, which shapes their educational trajectory,” said Governor Stein. “Child care should be affordable and accessible. I am proud to bring together providers, legislators, business leaders, parents, community partners, and industry experts to figure out how we can best support North Carolina’s parents, early childhood educators, and the economy.”
The task force's formation follows Governor Stein's address highlighting existing gaps in North Carolina's child care system. Currently, there is only one available spot for every five families seeking child care. Additionally, four out of five families pay more than 7% of their income for infant care—a rate higher than recommended. The poverty rate among early childhood educators is notably higher than that of other workers in the state.
Governor Stein emphasizes his commitment to ensuring children in North Carolina have access to safe and supportive learning environments. He believes these efforts will benefit both parents and employers by reducing workforce attrition due to insufficient child care options.
The task force includes a diverse group of members from various sectors:
- Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt (co-chair)
- Senator Jim Burgin (co-chair)
- Senator Jay Chaudhuri
- Senator Ralph Hise
- Representative Sarah Crawford
- Representative David Willis
- Mary Elizabeth Wilson
- Candace Witherspoon
- Noelle Talley
- Amar Majmundar
- Amy Rhyne
- Dr. Mary Olvera
- Rhonda Rivers
- Gary Salamido
- Amy Cubbage
- Lori Jones-Ruff
- Dan Rockaway
- Ellen Pancoast
- Michelle Logan
- Ashton Clemmons
- Beth Messersmith
- Erica Palmer Smith
- Theresa Roedershimer
- Meka Sales
- Susan Gale Perry
Several media outlets have covered this announcement:
The News & Observer described it as a bipartisan effort; WNCN focused on making childcare more affordable; WUNC referred to it as addressing a "child care crisis"; WECT called it an initiative aimed at helping a statewide “crisis”; EdNC reported on its focus on early education.
Alerts Sign-up