Louisiana’s child care centers were going to get an additional $25 million in state aid for fiscal 2020-21, but that is going to be difficult because of an expected $1 billion revenue shortfall. The coronavirus pandemic has also taken a $30 million financial hit on those child-care provider centers.

The state is getting at least $1.8 billion in federal aid to help combat costs of the pandemic, but The Advocate said whether any of that money can be used to provide relief to child care centers is unclear.

The Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL), the Louisiana Policy Institute, which is a child advocacy group, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and many others are advocates of adequate funding for childcare. They realize parents and caregivers working in every industry won’t be able to return to work and keep the economy moving without childcare.

CABL said public schools and public pre-K programs have access to public funding that has helped make them whole through the crisis. However, the council said childcare for young children is primarily a private sector initiative and has been severely impacted by severe job losses across the economy.

Child care centers are requesting $71 million in mostly federal dollars to help centers reopen and remain solvent while serving smaller numbers of students at affordable costs. The Advocate reported that the state Department of Education has said only 31 percent of the state’s 1,400 publicly funded centers remain open amid dwindling attendance.

The $71 million needed includes $26 million in federal funds to finance increased cleaning and sanitation at the centers, for rehiring, screening staff and operational expenses. Another $20 million in federal dollars would allow centers to operate with smaller groups of students with pre-pandemic tuition. The remaining $25 million would help subsidize low-income families of 4,000 children so they could work, attend school or undergo job training.

Closed centers affect about 83,000 children and childcare centers said they need an average of $23,000 to reopen. The 1 in 3 centers that remain closed that care for more than 2,000 full- and part-time workers said they would remain closed permanently if the shutdown continues.

CABL is correct when it says childcare and early education are critical for the formation and development of children. Federal funding may help care centers bounce back, and state legislators need to ensure they can provide the other money child care centers need.

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This editorial was written by a member of the American Press Editorial Board. Its content reflects the collaborative opinion of the Board, whose members include Crystal Stevenson, John Guidroz, Mike Jones and Jim Beam.