Jeff Cooling is the first candidate to announce in House 77, which includes much of Cedar Rapids from Sixteenth Avenue SW to the Linn-Johnson County line. Rep. Kirsten Running-Marquardt, D-Cedar Rapids, represents that area, but is not seeking re-election to the House.
Iowa, Colorado and New Jersey only recently opened their portals for pandemic aid, while some states that already accepted applications still haven't distributed funds.
To Alex Glenn, the director of human resources for Generation Next child development centers and preschools in Ventral Iowa, the best way to address what stakeholders have called a child care “crisis” is both simple and expensive. “I know this answer’s not going to appease a lot of people, but it’s money,” Glenn said.
A proposal increases the number of two-year-olds one care center staff member can watch.
The agreement with Champions will provide extended learning opportunities for Cedar Rapids students and families and will include before and after school programming, summer programming and wraparound services for preschool students.
Approaching her 28th and final year in the Iowa House, Mary Mascher promises to “continue to be as passionate about those issues that are important to me ... as I’ve been in the past.”
Staffing shortages and high costs are challenging parents and child care providers alike.
Up to $25,000 in funding is available to create additional slots that serve children receiving Child Care Assistance.
Reynolds said the state will make available $10 million in grants for expanding current child care facilities or building new ones, and distribute $200 million in federal grants to child care facilities that suffered economically during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Iowa’s child care providers continue to tread financially troubled waters after being thrown a much-needed lifeline via federal COVID-19 relief funds.
During a roughly 15-minute appearance Jill Biden stressed the need for President Joe Biden’s proposals for child care assistance and an extension of the monthly child care tax credit.
Housing, child care and climate were key issues mentioned Wednesday night
Advocates hope the Iowa Legislature will continue to focus on ways to provide more care and aid.
“If there is no available affordable child care, you can’t work — and more often than not, child care continues to fall within the responsibility of women.”
The expense of child care is impacting low-income families who cannot afford it, the advocates say, and is keeping others out of the workforce.
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