Williamsport, PA – Yesterday, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh visited The Robert & Maureen Dunham Children's Learning Center at the Pennsylvania College of Technology to highlight how Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2025-26 Budget Proposal, builds on his Administration’s success in making child care more affordable while expanding and strengthening the child care workforce.
“Early learning and child care programs are an invaluable resource that foster educational and social development for our youngest Pennsylvanians and are a catalyst for a healthy, vibrant economy,” said Secretary Arkoosh. “But these benefits are not possible without a dedicated workforce of child care professionals. We must continue to invest in high-quality care and support our dedicated providers and educators who show up every day to help our children grow and thrive.”
Pennsylvania’s child care system serves more than 300,000 children annually across the Commonwealth, including approximately 80,000 children who receive subsidies through the Child Care Works (CCW) Program, Pennsylvania’s state and federally-funded child care program that helps low-income families pay their child care fees.
However, providers are struggling to hire and retain staff. Pennsylvania has an estimated 3,000 unfilled jobs in child care; if we filled those jobs, 25,000 more children in Pennsylvania could have access to child care, giving their parents peace of mind that their kids are well taken care of so they can go to work. Child care centers also report increasing difficulty in filling positions due to low wages, and many are forced to close classrooms or limit enrollment. Without a competitive wage, it remains difficult to retain and attract qualified early child care educators.
That’s why Governor Shapiro is proposing investments to retain and recruit child care workers and increase child care services for Pennsylvania families. These proposed investments include $55 million to give eligible child care providers in Pennsylvania’s Child Care Works Program up to $1,000 for staff retention and recruitment bonuses.
Additionally, a $10 million investment is proposed through DHS to increase Early Intervention (EI) provider rates, to ensure every Pennsylvania child has the support and resources needed to succeed — regardless of family income.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, access to early childhood education improves performance in K-12 schooling, lowers health care costs, and improves employment and earning prospects into adulthood. Child care programs also allow parents to work knowing their children are safe and cared for. The CDC also cites child care as a factor for increased parental employment and income, making this industry an essential cornerstone for a healthy, vibrant economy.
The Robert & Maureen Dunham Children's Learning Center at Pennsylvania College of Technology serves students, faculty, and staff whose children need high-quality, on-campus care and education while their parents work or attend classes. The Children's Learning Center cares for children between the ages of thirteen months and five years. The Center also supports Penn College students interested in careers in early education by providing them with opportunities to work directly with children and families, under the guidance of professional educators who serve as role models and mentors, in their exemplary early care education setting.
"Children are the world's most valuable resource, so we must invest in enriching quality early childcare and learning," said Linda Reichert, Director of Children's Learning Center. "Not only do we need to invest in the early learning environments, but the teachers in these quality environments are also the core of the learning process both cognitively and emotionally. Without the dedication and heart of the teacher, it's just a building. Invest a little now and see major results in the future."
"Investing in early childhood education and child care for our students, our employees and our community is paramount for Pennsylvania College of Technology,” President Michael J. Reed said. “The Robert & Maureen Dunham Children’s Learning Center – named for a chairman emeritus of our Board of Directors and his wife, a retired public elementary school teacher – has been commended for the high-quality care it provides. We thank Secretary Arkoosh for visiting with us today, and for her commitment to supporting and strengthening the child care industry across the commonwealth.”
A Track Record of Investing in Pennsylvania’s Families and Strengthening the Child Care Workforce
Proposed investments in the 2025-26 Budget build on the success the Shapiro Administration has seen since taking office. Since 2023, DHS has invested more in access to care by increasing base reimbursement rates for providers participating in Child Care Works to the 75th percentile of private pay rates for the first time, helping Pennsylvania meet federal best practices and providing greater financial support to child care providers and their dedicated workforce. This allows CCW providers to invest in quality of care and their workforce amid the continued challenges of operating.
Additionally, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees’ child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable. DHS also continues to leverage federal funding received by DHS' Office of Child Development and Early Learning to support child care providers through quality improvement and workforce development and retention programs.
Learn more about Child Care Works and find more information on certified child care providers at www.findchildcare.pa.gov.
