South Raleigh News

Today, Governor Roy Cooper visited Cabarrus Bilingual Preschool in Concord to observe child care practices and highlight the urgent funding needs for early childhood education and child care. Accompanied by child care advocates and local officials, the Governor emphasized the critical nature of investment in this sector. Cabarrus Bilingual Preschool, a 5-star licensed child care center and NC Pre-K program provider operated by Families First, served as the backdrop for his visit.

Governor Cooper expressed concern over the lack of significant investments for child care and early childhood education in the proposed budgets from both the House and Senate. "This is a critical time for early childhood education and child care in North Carolina, and the legislature must step up in the next few days to help keep these centers from closing their doors," he stated. "We need to invest in more child care and Pre-K instead of private school vouchers."

Ann Benfield, Executive Director of Cabarrus Partnership for Children, echoed these sentiments: "It is such a joy today to be at the Cabarrus Bilingual Preschool and celebrating their amazing work in our community. We can change a generation in just five short years if we invest in our youngest children, their families, and support our early childhood professionals."

Aurora Swain, Director of Operations for Families First, highlighted the importance of continued funding: "We’re incredibly grateful to Governor Cooper for his strong support of early childhood education and the crucial pandemic funding that kept our two locations and home-visiting program running." She added that ARPA funding has enabled expansion across multiple counties but stressed that ongoing financial support is essential.

A recent statewide survey indicates that nearly one-third of North Carolina's child care centers are at risk of closure when federal Child Care Stabilization Grants end in June. Without additional investment, many centers may lose quality teachers, face hiring difficulties, or be forced to raise fees on parents.

The NC Pre-K program also faces challenges this year. Instead of investing in this high-quality program, legislators have allocated $625 million towards private school vouchers.

In April, Governor Cooper released his recommended budget for FY 2024-2025 titled Securing North Carolina’s Future. The proposal includes a $745 million investment aimed at strengthening access to child care and early education. Key components include:

- $200 million for Child Care Stabilization Grants

- $128.5 million for the Child Care Subsidy Program

- $197 million for the NC Pre-K Program

- $24.4 million for summer care programs

- A refundable tax credit worth up to $600 per family

Governor Cooper has declared 2024 as the Year of Public Schools and continues to advocate for increased investments in K-12 education, early childhood education, and teacher pay while opposing state spending on private school vouchers until public schools are fully funded.