Gov. Evers Announces Proposal to Invest in ECE

During his State of the State address on January 24, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers unveiled his plan to increase support for the state's struggling ECE sector through the 2023-25 state budget. The proposal includes the budget asks of both the Milwaukee Succeeds-led Early Childhood Education (ECE) Coalition and the statewide Raising Wisconsin Coalition.

"If we want to address our state’s workforce challenges, we have to make sure child care is accessible and affordable. And together we will," said Gov. Evers.

The budget proposal includes more than $340 million to provide a permanent investment into Child Care Counts. The ECE and Raising Wisconsin Coalitions specifically advocated for this continuation, utilizing Milwaukee Succeeds' data and provider stories to showcase the incredible impact of the funding. In his address, the governor made it a point to highlight the effects this program has had on the industry.

"We helped stabilize the child care industry through our monthly Child Care Counts Program, providing the financial stability providers needed to stay open and recruit and retain quality staff to care for our kids," said Gov. Evers. "All told, we helped more than 3,300 providers across the state keep their doors open; we helped more than 22,000 child care professionals stay employed or become employed; and we helped ensure care continued for more than 113,000 kids across our state. That’s a big deal, folks."

The plan also incorporates an investment of $22 million into the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families' Partner Up! program, which aims to expand partnerships between employers and child care providers, as well as an expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Credit.

"The road ahead through the legislature to make this investment a reality is incredibly steep," says Milwaukee Succeeds ECE Director Daria Hall, "but I am excited to celebrate this milestone along the way."