Supporting Child Care Providers amid COVID-19

By April 15, 20 states had ordered child care centers to close in the wake of COVID-19, with exceptions for programs serving the children of essential workers such as health care professionals. Other states modified regulations, with some reducing class sizes to 10 or fewer. Especially for struggling providers, the emergency presents real financial hardship. Without support, many may never open their doors again.

Although only a few state boards of education directly oversee the program standards and teacher licensure and credentialing for child care programs, they can advocate for support of child care providers during this difficult time. The youngest children, from birth to age 8, will continue to need high-quality early care and education after the pandemic subsides, so they will need schools to which they can return. Serving as the hub for state education policy discussion, state boards can convene stakeholders from across the many agencies and groups that serve young children to determine how best to ensure their uninterrupted learning and support…