Saint Paul, MN- On Friday, September 27, the White House hosted the 2024 States Convening on Child Care, which brought together over 60 legislators from over 30 states to support strategies to make childcare more affordable and accessible for working families.
“This convening is a critical step in our ongoing efforts to strengthen early childhood education and care systems across the nation,” said Representative María Isa Pérez-Vega (DFL-Saint Paul), member of the Minnesota House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee. “This gathering provided a valuable opportunity for state legislators across the nation to exchange innovative strategies and best practices that have proven effective in addressing the critical needs of our youngest learners.”
The event served as a forum for state legislators, in conjunction with Administration and external partners, to share successful strategies that have been implemented at the state level, as well as ideas for what states can do moving forward.
Rep. Perez-Vega emphasized the legislative accomplishments of Minnesota DFL legislators.
“As a passionate and dedicated member of the Minnesota Legislature, I am proud of the significant progress we made in improving childcare access during the 2023-2024 biennium,” she said. “We made historic investments to increase funding, expand scholarships, and invest in workforce development. Every family deserves access to affordable childcare, and these initiatives are essential for ensuring that all Minnesota children have the opportunity to thrive. We worked to reduce the cost of childcare and early learning so that parents can work, employers can hire, and communities can thrive.”
In Minnesota, childcare and early learning is in deep crisis after decades of underfunding - unaffordable for families and paying poverty wages to caregivers. The 2023 budget invests nearly $1 billion in this critical sector to improve school readiness and allow parents to access employment and education opportunities.
The two-year state budget that passed into law in 2023 invests $300 million in early learning scholarships for over 25,000 low-income and vulnerable infants and toddlers. It also increases reimbursement rates and access under the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), expands Head Start and establishes "Great Start" compensation support payments for educators.
Representative Pérez-Vega poses in front of Navy Steps