Universal Childcare Faces Understaffed, Underpaid Workforce

At a joint meeting of the early childhood, workforce development and higher education committees, council members reported a 5,000 per year staffing shortage in early childcare across the city.

The debt incurred to become a childcare professional approaches $200,000, while pay remains below the average city salary at around $68,000 to $75,000, according to Julie Won, workforce committee member.

"It's not a problem. It's a crisis," said Rita C. Joseph, member of the subcommittee on early childhood.

The arguments came as the subcommittee discussed Intro 820, a bill to have the city fund inexperienced students who want to work in early childcare. The bill hopes to work towards the mayor's campaign promise to provide universal childcare, which faces a steep battle to get more teachers with better pay.

But Carolyn Cleveland, chief operating officer of Kennedy Children's Center, might have a solution, a community-based pipeline that keeps staffing high and debt low.

"KCC is living proof that the grow-your-own model works, but it needs ongoing, sustainable funding, not just one time and start-up investments," said Cleveland at the hearing.