The bill's impact on state laws includes the provision of federal funds allocated for the specific purpose of enhancing child care facilities and workforce initiatives. Through competitive grants, states will receive financial support to construct, expand, or renovate child care centers, which directly addresses the shortage of care providers in designated areas. Additionally, the funding is designed to support training and education for child care workers, which can enhance their skills and credentialing, thereby improving the overall quality of child care services offered. This multifaceted approach aims to alleviate issues relating to child care access, affordability, and quality, encouraging states to take proactive steps in their child care strategy.
Summary
SB268, also known as the Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act of 2023, seeks to enhance access to quality child care services by providing grants to states and Tribal entities. These grants are intended for projects that focus on expanding the child care workforce and improving child care facilities in areas identified as child care deserts. The initiative aims to facilitate the development of a robust workforce capable of meeting the demand for quality child care, especially in underserved communities. This legislation acknowledges the necessity of both workforce development and infrastructure improvement to address the existing challenges in child care availability.
Contention
While the bill has garnered support for its intent to improve child care accessibility, there are potential points of contention regarding the deployment and management of grant funds. Stakeholders may voice concerns about how effectively states will implement the requirements of the grant programs, including ensuring that projects meet the needs of local communities. Moreover, there may be differing opinions on the best methods for balancing state oversight with local autonomy in managing child care facilities. The goal of significantly reducing child care deserts is ambitious, and there may be skepticism surrounding the anticipated outcomes versus the allocated funding.
Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act of 2025This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide states and tribal entities with grants to increase access to licensed child care services.The grants may be used to develop and expand the child care workforce or child care facilities in locations with insufficient available child care. Specifically, grants cover 50% of the cost of programs to support the education and training of caregivers or projects to build, expand, or renovate child care facilities in these areas.
Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act of 2025This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide states and tribal entities with grants to increase access to licensed child care services.The grants may be used to develop and expand the child care workforce or child care facilities in locations with insufficient available child care. Specifically, grants cover 50% of the cost of programs to support the education and training of caregivers or projects to build, expand, or renovate child care facilities in these areas.
Promoting Employment and Lifelong Learning Act or the PELL Act This bill expands student eligibility for Pell Grants by establishing the Workforce Pell Grants Program. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to award Workforce Pell Grants to students enrolled in eligible short-term programs. Eligible programs are those that provide 150 to 600 clock hours of instructional time over a period of 8 to 15 weeks and meet other eligibility criteria. An accrediting agency or association recognized by ED must determine a program's eligibility based on several criteria, including that the program provides education aligned with the requirements of in-demand industry sectors and occupations and meets specified completion and job placement rates. ED must annually collect and publish information on the College Scorecard regarding each eligible program, including job outcomes. The College Scorecard is a comparison tool for information on school sizes, settings, graduation rates, average costs, and salary ranges per field of study.