MADISON, WIS. – Raising Wisconsin calls on Wisconsin’s state elected officials to keep child care funding a key priority in the 2025-27 state budget even though negotiations recently ended in an impasse.
The coalition applauds Gov. Tony Evers’ commitment to child care – and its connection to strong children, families, and the economy – during budget conversations. However, Raising Wisconsin is disappointed those efforts now are at a standstill.
“We know Wisconsin residents, much like voters across the country, see child care as a bipartisan policy focus that needs to be addressed,” said Dana Schmock, Raising Wisconsin coordinator. “We remain hopeful leaders from both parties will come together to support child care providers, young children, and working families.”
A recent University of Wisconsin study shows significant child care rate increases are expected for parents and 25 percent of care programs are likely to close when federal pandemic relief funding for child care ends later this month. Evers made the continuation of the Child Care Counts Program one of the top priorities of his proposed budget and budget negotiations.
“We can no longer afford to treat this like a personal problem. It’s a public one,” said Claire Lindstrom, a parent from Eau Claire. “And the solution is clear: We need the state of Wisconsin to invest state revenue into child care in our next state budget. Working families are worth it.”
Child care has remained a top focus of a broad coalition of advocates during the development of the state budget, including significant attention during Joint Committee on Finance public hearings and a record-setting Child Care Advocacy Day and rally at the state Capitol in April.
Raising Wisconsin, a statewide campaign powered by a broad multi-sector coalition, has been advocating for significant state general purpose revenue directly into the child care sector as its primary policy priority. So far, thousands of advocates have signed on to petitions or sent letters to their state legislators urging support for a significant state investment.
“We know advocates will continue to make their voices heard for child care, as they have for years,” said Ruth Schmidt, executive director of Wisconsin Early Childhood Association, which helps lead Raising Wisconsin and was a co-sponsor of Child Care Advocacy Day. “The need for state investment is clear.”
