Survey: Wisconsin Child Care Providers Forecasts Closures, Tuition Hikes Without State Support
This article was originally published in Wisconsin Examiner.
One in four Wisconsin child care providers could close their doors if the state's ongoing support isn't replaced after it ends in June, according to a state-commissioned report released Thursday.
More than one in three providers expect to reduce their capacity for children or the hours they operate, or both, according to the report, based on a survey of most of the state's licensed child care providers.
The report was commissioned by the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) and produced by the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter
It was released by the office of Gov. Tony Evers to support $480 million for child care providers in his 2025-27 proposed budget — a successor to the state's Child Care Counts program that was funded with federal pandemic relief money.
'It underscores what those of us in the field have known for a long time — that is, the need for public investment in order to stave off closures and rate increases,' said Ruth Schmidt, executive director of the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association.
The association supports Evers' $480 million budget proposal and is holding an advocacy day at the state Capitol on April 16, with plans to meet lawmakers.
In a statement announcing the survey findings, Evers underscored his proposal.
'The cost of child care is too darn high, wait lists are too long, and providers are already struggling to keep the lights on, their doors open, and meet demand for child care across our state,' Evers said.
'The results of this survey are crystal clear: if we don't make needed investments to support our child care providers and industry, programs will close, wait lists will get even longer, providers will be forced to raise prices, and parents and loved ones who can't afford for [their] costs to get any higher may have to leave our workforce.'
Child Care Counts has provided monthly payments to state child care providers since 2021. From November 2021 to January 2024, it was funded from Wisconsin's share of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the federal pandemic relief legislation enacted in 2021. The program paid out more than $479 million to providers. After that money ran out, Evers directed another $170 million additional pandemic relief funds to carry the program through June 2025.
Child Care Counts paid out $20 million a month until mid-2023, when it was cut to $10 million a month, with providers getting half of what they had previously received.
The Republican majority in the state Legislature rejected Evers' proposal to put up to $360 million in the 2023-25 budget to continue the subsidy program at its earlier monthly amount.
Providers have credited the Child Care Counts program with making it possible for them to increase pay for child care workers in the face of competition from other employers without being forced to raise the fees they charge parents.
About 80% of the state's more than 4,500 child care providers received and took part in the survey, which was included in providers' November application for Child Care Counts payments.
The survey included questions about providers' experiences before and after the Child Care Counts reduction. It also asked about their expectations after the program ends in June, as well as the potential impact of a continued program.
Two-thirds of providers surveyed reported that after the payments were reduced, they raised fees.
Responding to questions about the impact of state support ending in June, 25% or more of providers in the survey said they would be somewhat or more likely to close. Fully 10% of providers said closing their program 'was very or extremely likely,' the report found.
'That's an incredibly concerning statistic,' said Schmidt. 'That's a lot of child care programs that could be pulling up stakes. It's going to hit rural communities super hard, but across the state we're going to see significant closures.'
More than one-third of providers — 37% — said they were 'at least somewhat likely' to close some of their classrooms or reduce the number of children they serve. Almost that many, 36%, said they were likely to reduce the number of hours they provide care.
By 59%, providers also expect their waiting lists to grow without continued state support.
Providers also expect to have a harder time hiring and keeping employees, with 66% saying that it was 'at least somewhat likely' they will have to cut compensation, including their own. Fully half of providers 'said this was very or extremely likely,' the report states.
More than half of providers — 56% — said it was at least somewhat likely that more employees would quit, and 46% said staff cuts were somewhat or more likely.
Of providers in the survey, 69% said 'that it was at least somewhat likely' they would have a harder time hiring qualified employees.
About half of providers surveyed — 51% — said they thought it would be 'at least somewhat likely' that they would find it harder to provide high quality care.
Between one-fourth and nearly half of providers said they expected to have more trouble being able to meet some parents' specific needs. Those include providing care earlier or later in the day, serving families in the state's Wisconsin Shares subsidy child care program for low-income families, caring for infants and toddlers or caring for children with special needs.
'With families already struggling to afford child care, respondents repeatedly described how continued funding — whether at the original or at current levels—would help prevent further tuition rate increases,' the survey report notes. Some providers said it would allow them to hold rates at their current level or reduce them, while others said it would keep the rate of tuition increases down.
Corrine Hendrickson, a New Glarus child care provider and organizer of an advocacy group for providers and families, Wisconsin Early Childhood Action Needed (WECAN), said the survey points out 'the disastrous results for children and families after the initial [Child Care Counts] funding wasn't replaced in the state budget.'
Rural areas, where families are younger and have lower incomes, may be hit the most dramatically if the child care sector contracts, Hendrickson said.
Hendrickson said she is likely to have to raise the rates she charges for her family child care center, which has a capacity of eight children. A $30 increase 'will put me out of reach for too many families,' Hendrickson said. 'If I lose two children and can't replace them within a month or two, I will have to close.'
Wisconsin Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Wisconsin Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Ruth Conniff for questions: info@wisconsinexaminer.com.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Times
12 minutes ago
- New York Times
Texas Governor Will Deploy National Guard to Immigration Protests
Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas said late Tuesday that he would deploy National Guard troops across the state, making him the first governor to do so as protests against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown spread across the United States. Mr. Abbott, a Republican and a vocal supporter of President Trump's immigration agenda, said on social media that he would not tolerate violence as protests are planned in San Antonio on Wednesday. The protests that began in Los Angeles last Friday against federal immigration raids have spread to more than a dozen U.S. cities, including Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio. While many of the protests have been peaceful, police have clashed with demonstrators at some of them. Mr. Trump has threatened to override governors who don't want to send National Guard troops to stop protests, like the president did in California, where he sent nearly 5,000 National Guard troops and Marines over the strong objections of state leaders. That has made California ground zero for Mr. Trump's immigration agenda, which includes ramping up deportations of undocumented immigrants with the help of local law enforcement agencies and, in a rare action, active-duty military forces. Mr. Abbott's announcement said that the Texas National Guard will 'use every tool & strategy to help law enforcement maintain order.' 'Peaceful protest is legal,' he added. 'Harming a person or property is illegal & will lead to arrest.' The announcement did not specify where and when the troops will be deployed. Mr. Abbott's office, the San Antonio Police Department, the Texas National Guard and U.S. Northern Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On Monday night, more than a dozen protesters were arrested in Austin during a demonstration at the Texas Capitol in Austin, Mr. Abbott had said. Law enforcement officials used tear gas and pepper ball projectiles, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.


CNN
26 minutes ago
- CNN
Los Angeles police begin ‘mass arrests' after downtown curfew kicks in
Update: Date: 24 min ago Title: Where else are protests happening around the US? Content: Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that kicked off in Los Angeles on Friday have since sparked similar protests in various cities around the US – some of which have broadened into protests against the Trump administration. Here's where they're taking place: Update: Date: 1 hr 25 min ago Title: It's past midnight in LA, where a curfew is in place. Here's what to know Content: A curfew is currently in place in part of downtown Los Angeles, with police saying they have begun arresting dozens of protesters Tuesday evening. Scattered demonstrations have also popped up in multiple cities across the US, with Texas deploying the National Guard in response. Here are the latest developments: Update: Date: 1 hr 27 min ago Title: Texas National Guard deployed to "ensure peace and order," governor says Content: Members of the Texas National Guard will be deployed to various locations in the state ahead of planned protests this week, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday. South Texas organizations are expected to hold anti-ICE rallies on Wednesday and Saturday, CNN affiliate KSAT reported. Among the demonstrations is a 'No Kings' protest in San Antonio this Saturday. Abbott's announcement comes a day after authorities used tear gas and pepper ball projectiles to disperse demonstrators at Austin's State Capitol Complex. 'Peaceful protest is legal,' Abbott said in a post on X. 'Harming a person or property is illegal and will lead to arrest.' The Republican governor said the Guard 'will use every tool & strategy to help law enforcement maintain order.' Update: Date: 1 hr 27 min ago Title: Where are protests happening in Texas? Content: Inspired by demonstrations in Los Angeles, protesters in Texas have gathered in droves to challenge the Trump administration's sweeping immigration crackdown. Like California, the Lone Star State is home to one of the country's largest immigrant populations. Over the past few days, demonstrators have said they are speaking out for members of their community, many who fear taking to the streets themselves. 'Immigrants are the backbone of our society. Once again, they are all of us. They are our family members. They are our community members,' Laiba Khan, an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, told CNN affiliate KEYE. What began as a show of solidarity devolved into chaos in Austin on Monday, when police declared an unlawful gathering outside the J.J. Pickle Federal Building, later deploying tear gas on demonstrators, KEYE reported. Another protest near the State Capitol building, also in Austin, ended with law enforcement deploying tear gas and pepper rounds, the Texas Department of Public Safety said. Thirteen people were arrested in the city, police said. About 290 kilometers (180 miles) away in Dallas, video from a Monday demonstration shows a tense standoff unfolding between protesters and police in riot gear. Several demonstrators, their faces covered with bandanas and masks, were heard shouting expletives. An observer told CNN that police used what he believes was mace on a person being restrained and another person attempting to intervene. Hundreds gathered outside San Antonio's City Hall on Sunday in a protest that remained peaceful, CNN affiliate KSAT reported. Ahead of more demonstrations in the southern Texas city, Mayor Ron Nirenberg urged residents to 'exercise their rights…safely and responsibly.' Nirenberg's calls for calm come after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the deployment of the Texas National Guard, ahead of the planned protests. 'The reports of the Governor deploying the National Guard to our community underscore the need for us to remain peaceful and safe this weekend,' Nirenberg said. Update: Date: 1 hr 21 min ago Title: "Mass arrests" in downtown LA, police say Content: The Los Angeles Police Department said late Tuesday that 'dozens of arrests' have been made as several protest groups continue to gather in the designated curfew zone. 'Multiple groups continue to congregate on 1st St between Spring and Alameda,' the LAPD wrote on X. 'Those groups are being addressed and mass arrests are being initiated.' 'Dozens of arrests have been made for failing to disperse at the scene of an Unlawful Assembly,' the police said in a later post. Update: Date: 1 hr 29 min ago Title: Downtown Los Angeles is under curfew. Here's what to know Content: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a curfew in downtown Los Angeles tonight. Here's all that you need to know: When: The curfew is in effect from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. PT. 'We certainly expect for it to last for several days,' Bass said Area affected: The area of downtown Los Angeles where the curfew will take place is 1 square mile, Mayor Karen Bass said. The total area of the city is 502 square miles, she noted. Residents affected: Officials who enacted a curfew in parts of downtown Los Angeles assess that fewer than 100,000 of the city's nearly 4 million residents actually live within the zoned off area, a law enforcement source familiar said. Businesses affected: While numerous corporations and other businesses are based in the downtown area, the source said officials believe the 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew will affect only a relatively small number of residents, which was a factor in determining the start and end time of the order. Exemptions: LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said residents of the impact area will be exempt from the curfew. Others exempted include: credentialed media, public safety and emergency personnel and people experiencing homelessness. Penalties: Anyone not deemed exempt who is within the designated curfew area in Los Angeles between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. PT will be 'subject to arrest,' McDonnell said.
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
US cities brace for more protests as parts of Los Angeles placed under curfew
By Brad Brooks, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Dietrich Knauth LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Several U.S. cities braced for protests on Wednesday against President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration raids, as parts of the country's second largest city Los Angeles spent the night under curfew in an effort to quell five days of unrest. The Governor of Texas, Republican Greg Abbott, said he will deploy the National Guard this week, ahead of planned protests. Protesters and police in Austin clashed on Monday. Trump's extraordinary measures of sending National Guard and Marines to quell protests in Los Angeles has sparked a national debate on the use of military on U.S. soil and pitted the Republican president against California's Democrat governor. "This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president inflamed a combustible situation, putting our people, our officers and even our National Guard at risk. That's when the downward spiral began," California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a video address on Tuesday. "He again chose escalation. He chose more force. He chose theatrics over public safety. ... Democracy is under assault." Newsom, widely seen as preparing for a presidential run in 2028, and the state of California sued Trump and the Defense Department on Monday, seeking to block the deployment of federal troops. Trump in turn has suggested Newsom should be arrested. Hundreds of U.S. Marines arrived in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday under orders from Trump, after he also ordered the deployment of 4,000 National Guard to the city. Marines and National Guard are to be used in the protection of government personnel and buildings and not in police action. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the deployments were not necessary as police could manage the protest, the majority of which have been peaceful, and limited to about five streets. However, due to looting and violence at night she imposed a curfew over one square mile of the city's downtown, starting Tuesday night. The curfew will last several days. Police said multiple groups stayed on the streets in some areas despite the curfew and "mass arrests" were initiated. Police earlier said that 197 people had already been arrested on Tuesday - more than double the total number of arrests to date. Democratic leaders have raised concerns over a national crisis in what has become the most intense flashpoint yet in the Trump administration's efforts to deport migrants living in the country illegally, and then crack down on opponents who take to the streets in protest. Trump, voted back into office last year largely for his promise to deport undocumented immigrants, used a speech honoring soldiers on Tuesday to defend his decision. He told troops at the army base in Fort Bragg, North Carolina: "Generations of army heroes did not shed their blood on distant shores only to watch our country be destroyed by invasion and third-world lawlessness." 'FULL-BLOWN ASSAULT' "What you're witnessing in California is a full-blown assault on peace, on public order and on national sovereignty, carried out by rioters bearing foreign flags," Trump said, adding his administration would "liberate Los Angeles." Demonstrators have waved the flags of Mexico and other countries in solidarity for the migrants rounded up in a series of intensifying raids. Homeland Security said on Monday its Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division had arrested 2,000 immigration offenders per day recently, far above the 311 daily average in fiscal year 2024 under former President Joe Biden. Protests have also taken place in other cities including New York, Atlanta and Chicago, where demonstrators shouted at and scuffled with officers. Some protesters climbed onto the Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza, while others chanted that ICE should be abolished. Texas Governor Abbott said late on Tuesday that he will deploy the National Guard, which "will use every tool & strategy to help law enforcement maintain order." "Texas National Guard will be deployed to locations across the state to ensure peace & order. Peaceful protest is legal. Harming a person or property is illegal & will lead to arrest," Abbott posted on X. South Texas organizations are expected to hold anti-ICE rallies on Wednesday and Saturday, CNN reported local media as saying. About 700 Marines were in a staging area in the Seal Beach area about 30 miles (50 km) south of Los Angeles on Tuesday, awaiting deployment to specific locations, a U.S. official said. California Attorney General Rob Bonta told Reuters the state was concerned about allowing federal troops to protect personnel, saying there was a risk that could violate an 1878 law that generally forbids the U.S. military, including the National Guard, from taking part in civilian law enforcement. "Protecting personnel likely means accompanying ICE agents into communities and neighborhoods, and protecting functions could mean protecting the ICE function of enforcing the immigration law," Bonta said. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday posted photos on X of National Guard troops accompanying ICE officers on an immigration raid. Trump administration officials have vowed to redouble the immigration raids in response to the street protests. The last time the military was used for direct police action under the Insurrection Act was in 1992, when the California governor at the time asked President George H.W. Bush to help respond to Los Angeles riots over the acquittal of police officers who beat Black motorist Rodney King.