Plan builds on progress made under Evers-Rodriguez administration, caps child care costs at 7% of family income, gives families real choices, raises provider wages, and expands access in child care deserts
MADISON, WI—Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez – a nurse, working mom, and Democratic candidate for governor – today released a comprehensive plan to make child care more affordable and more accessible for Wisconsin’s working families as part of her broader plan to lower prices for Wisconsinites as governor.
Rodriguez’s plan guarantees that families pay no more than 7% of their income for child care – the nationally recognized affordability benchmark – while giving families real choices that fit their needs, raising wages for early childhood educators, and expanding child care supply in underserved communities across Wisconsin.
“Child care in Wisconsin costs more than rent for too many families. Parents are being forced to choose between keeping their job and keeping their kids in care. That’s not sustainable for families, for businesses, or for our economy,” said Lt. Gov. Rodriguez. “As governor, I’ll treat child care like the essential infrastructure it is – by making it affordable for families, giving them real choices that work for them, supporting the workers who provide care, and expanding access in communities where care has disappeared.”
Rodriguez highlighted that Wisconsin’s child care crisis affects everyone: parents who can’t afford to work, grandparents forced to step in, businesses that can’t hire because workers have no child care, and kids missing out on early learning that sets them up for success. She emphasized that for too long, Wisconsin has treated child care as a personal problem instead of recognizing it as critical infrastructure that supports working families and drives economic growth.
“I’m a working mom. I know what it’s like to drop your kids at child care, race to work, and stress about whether you can afford another month,” Rodriguez continued. “I’ve met parents across Wisconsin paying $1,500, $2,000 a month for care. That’s more than their mortgage. More than groceries and utilities combined. And when care closes or becomes unaffordable, parents – especially moms – are forced out of the workforce. That hurts families and it hurts our economy.”
Rodriguez noted the progress made under the Evers-Rodriguez administration, including the expansion of the child care tax credit, the Get Kids Ready school readiness program, the Child Care Bridge program supporting providers, and the infant and toddler care pilot addressing the highest-cost age groups. However, she emphasized that more comprehensive action is needed to ensure every Wisconsin family can access affordable child care.
“I’ve watched Governor Evers fight this fight. As Lt. Governor, I’ve been part of this fight,” Rodriguez said. “And as governor with a legislature willing to act, I will build on this progress and establish a system that guarantees affordable child care for every Wisconsin family.”
LOWER CHILD CARE COSTS
Part of Sara Rodriguez’s Plan to Lower Costs and Make Life More Affordable
As governor, Sara Rodriguez will make child care more affordable and more accessible for Wisconsin’s working families.
- Guarantee Affordable Child Care for Working Families
- Sara will establish a universal child care guarantee so families pay no more than 7% of their income for care – the nationally recognized affordability benchmark.
- The state will cover the remaining cost through child care affordability grants.
- This ensures child care prices are predictable, manageable, and fair for families at every income level.
- Give Families Real Choices That Fit Their Needs
- Sara will support a mixed-delivery system that includes center-based care, home-based providers, faith-based programs, and communities models.
- This ensures families can choose care that fits their schedules, values, and needs.
- Raise Wages and Support the Child Care Workforce
- Sara will ensure providers receiving state support will pay at least $18/hour, with clear pathways to higher wages and training.
- Early educators have been underpaid for decades while being asked to do one of the most important jobs in a child’s life. Wisconsin will start treating them like it.
- Expand Access to Child Care for Working Families, Especially in Care Deserts
- Sara will launch a low-interest loan and grant program to help providers expand, renovate, or open new facilities.
- This program will prioritize rural communities and neighborhoods designated as child care deserts, where supply is most limited.
- Build a Long-Term Funding Model
- Sara will work with the legislature to establish reliable, long-term funding for child care – including dedicated revenue streams, trust funds, tax reforms, and public-private partnerships with business owners.
- Stability ensures providers can plan, families can rely on care, and communities don’t lose access overnight.
About Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez:
Sara Rodriguez is a nurse, a working mom, and Wisconsin’s Lieutenant Governor. The granddaughter of Richland County dairy farmers, Sara grew up in a working-class union family. Her mom was a teaching assistant and proud WEAC member; her dad served during Vietnam and fixed phones for Wisconsin Bell. Sara worked ER night shifts to pay her way through college. She went on to respond to public health crises as a CDC intelligence officer, manage a major health care system, and run a small business — all while raising two kids and caring for her father with Alzheimer’s. Sara first ran for office because she was tired of seeing people do everything right and still fall behind. In 2020, she flipped a Republican Assembly seat in Waukesha County. Two years later, she won statewide alongside Governor Tony Evers. As lieutenant governor, she’s traveled to all 72 counties three times, listening to families, workers, and small business owners about what’s making life harder and what needs to be fixed. Sara is running for governor to lower the price we pay for health care, housing, and child care — to cut property taxes and energy bills — and to fix the broken systems holding our state back.
