To the Editor,

Access to affordable child care is essential for parents to return to the workforce and maintain quality employment. Yet, many communities across North Dakota lack accessible and affordable child care that meets the demand for our state’s working families. A 2 percent allocation of $17 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to address the child care crisis in North Dakota is only a down payment on what needs to be a much bigger investment into child care.

Earlier this fall, 25 organizations, including the ND Dept of Public Instruction, and hundreds of North Dakotans came forward to support child care policy recommendations outlined in the North Dakota KIDS COUNT report with a letter sent to Governor Doug Burgum and the state legislature. More must be done, especially as the typical North Dakota family spends 13 percent of their budget on child care. Going forward, we must focus on what North Dakota’s working families need by supporting the child care system, stabilizing families, and stimulating the economy.

Fourteen counties in North Dakota meet less than 60 percent of the child care demand, and eight of these counties also experience high unemployment or poverty. Parents that need care during non-traditional hours find even fewer options. Only 3 percent of licensed programs are open during the weekends, 4 percent open during evenings, and 25 percent open during early morning hours. For families that do find care, the cost is often out of reach. Child care is as expensive as in-state tuition at UND or NDSU. This means for full time infant care, families spend between $7,600 and $9,500 on average each year. At the same time, child care businesses struggle to stay open and often must sacrifice worker pay to continue operating. Child care workers earn $24,150 per year if working full time at the median wage of $11.61, just barely hovering above poverty level for a family of three. This must change.

The undersigned organizations express our support for strengthening the child care system in North Dakota, and we will continue to work together in 2022, 2023, and beyond to build a child care system that works for parents, child care providers, and moves North Dakota’s economy forward.

Signed,

North Dakota KIDS COUNT

Alliance of North Dakota YMCAs

United Way of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks & Area

North Dakota United

North Dakota Farmers Union

North Dakota AFL-CIO

North Dakota Building and Trades Unions

Northern Plains United Labor Council

Northern Valley Labor Council

Missouri Slope Central Labor Council

Communications Workers of America Local 7303

United Steelworkers Local 560

Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 167g

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1426

American Civil Liberties Union of North Dakota

Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota

Community Action Partnership of North Dakota

North Dakota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics

Family Voices North Dakota

North Dakota Women’s Network

High Plains Fair Housing Center

Fargo-Moorhead Coalition to End Homelessness

North Dakota Human Rights Coalition

North Dakota Voices Network