Amy Jacobson

Executive Director Prairie Action ND

Fargo, ND

One billion dollars. That is the amount of federal dollars provided to the state of North Dakota through the American Rescue Plan Act for post-pandemic relief. Child care is at the forefront of the lives of working families in North Dakota and it should be top priority for funding.

When Governor Burgum announced his ‘Accelerate ND’ proposal for spending he directed only 2% of his proposal to address this critical issue; hardly enough to scratch the surface of this nearly insurmountable problem impacting families and businesses across the state.

While North Dakota’s businesses have shown remarkable resilience in the face of public health and economic challenges, it is clear from the ongoing labor shortage that a full recovery requires additional solutions and access to affordable, quality child care is key.

In September, the Treasury Department reported that “an average family with at least one child under the age of 5 would need to devote approximately 13 percent of family income to pay for childcare.” That amount, on average, is nearly $10,000 annually. The same is true for North Dakota’s working families.

Much like a family’s budget, imagine if we invested 13% of the ARPA funds to access quality, affordable child care in the state, increase worker pay for this essential and skilled workforce, and provide additional child care assistance for families.

Earlier this year North Dakota KIDS COUNT published a report including a series of recommendations for the Governor and state legislature to consider to build a ‘better child care system’. The number one priority is to increase pay for people providing the essential service of child care. Child care workers earn on average $24,150 annually of just $11.61 an hour, according to ND Kids Count. This is near poverty level for a family of three.

The North Dakota legislature has an incredible opportunity that cannot be squandered. Investing now in child care will stabilize families and stimulate the economy.