On a bipartisan vote (113-90) in the PA House, a bill to recruit and retain child care teachers passed. 

The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce is proud to stand with over 70 chambers of commerce and economic development organizations across Pennsylvania, united in support of a vital initiative: an early childhood teacher requirement and retention program. This support reflects a shared understanding that access to child care is essential for a functioning workforce and a strong economy. Child care is not just a family issue. It’s a business issue and a workforce priority.

Child care is a cornerstone of a healthy economy. When families have access to quality, reliable care, parents can go to work, businesses can operate smoothly, and children benefit from the foundational support they need to thrive. Yet, across the Commonwealth, we’re facing a mounting crisis one driven not by a lack of need, but by a lack of workforce. Eighteen other states are directly investing in recruitment, retention, and other wage-impacting strategies to ensure that child care programs can keep classrooms open and the care supply can meet the demand of working families. 

One of the most pressing challenges in the child care sector is the persistent shortage of workers. Providers across Pennsylvania are struggling to recruit and retain staff, largely due to wages that do not reflect the value and responsibility of early childhood educators. Without adequate compensation and support, the pipeline of skilled professionals simply cannot keep pace with demand.

We are urging lawmakers to include Governor Shapiro’s proposed $55 million investment in the FY25-26 budget to support early childhood teacher recruitment and retention in Pennsylvania. This funding would help stabilize the child care sector, which is essential to Pennsylvania’s broader workforce and economy. We recognize that each community has diverse legislative priorities, needs and represents a wide range of industries but the child care industry is a unifying challenge, affecting every sector and, ultimately, every local community and workforce in Pennsylvania.  

Why this matters:

• Workforce Impact: The early education workforce crisis directly affects employers’ ability to hire and retain employees.
• Current Gaps: There are 3,000 open child care jobs statewide. If filled, an estimated 25,000 more children could access care, freeing up thousands of parents to fully participate in the workforce.
• Economic Reality: Providers want to offer better pay and benefits (the current average wage is just $15/hour), but can’t increase tuition as families are already stretched thin. This is the broken business model of child care.

This is why we’re advocating for smart, strategic, and targeted investments in the child care workforce. A statewide teacher requirement and retention program would help stabilize the sector, offering educators the wages, training, and career pathways they deserve. It’s not only a workforce development issue for early childhood education it’s a workforce issue for every industry that depends on working families.

As a Chamber, we understand that strong communities begin with strong families and that strong families depend on access to child care. We will continue to advocate, alongside our peers, for sustainable solutions that support working parents, strengthen the workforce, and invest in the next generation of Pennsylvanians.

The Fix Child Care PA website is a wonderful resource to reference.