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Advocates call to revive Child Care Counts, warning current child care funding falls short

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  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Monday, November 3rd 2025 at 11:06 GMT by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Child‑Care Providers Demand Return of State‑Tracked Child‑Care Capacity Data

In a move that could reshape the way families in Wisconsin find and pay for early‑learning services, a coalition of child‑care centers, national and local parent organizations, and state‑level child‑care advocates are pressing state officials to restore the public child‑care capacity data that was suspended in 2020. The push comes after a pandemic‑driven surge in demand for licensed child‑care spaces, a dramatic reduction in the workforce, and a lack of reliable data that has left families scrambling to locate openings for their children.

The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) last year stopped publishing the weekly child‑care counts that tracked the number of licensed centers and the number of children that could be accommodated across the state. According to the DCF, the decision was made in order to streamline the data system and reduce reporting burden on childcare providers, who were already stretched thin. However, providers and parent advocates have since argued that the data is an essential tool for monitoring capacity, guiding funding decisions, and ensuring that children in low‑income households can still find a place in quality, affordable care.

The Numbers Behind the Demand

According to a 2022 report from the Wisconsin Center for Children’s Services, child‑care capacity in the state fell by roughly 18 percent between 2019 and 2021. At the same time, the number of families in need of child‑care increased by 12 percent, with the lowest‑income bracket experiencing the most significant shortfall. In the months since the data suspension, the DCF has released no official figures, leaving the state with an unclear picture of how many child‑care spaces are available.

“Without accurate counts, we are essentially operating in the dark,” said Maya Rivera, president of the Wisconsin Child‑Care Association. “The last thing we want is for families to be turned away because we can’t see where openings are or how many children can be served.”

The association’s coalition is calling on the state legislature to mandate that the DCF re‑implement the weekly counts as soon as possible. In addition, they are urging the legislature to expand the state's child‑care subsidies, which are currently capped at $150 per month for children under five, arguing that many families are still unable to afford childcare even when subsidies are applied.

Funding and Workforce Shortages

The COVID‑19 pandemic has left the child‑care workforce in a precarious state. A national survey by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) found that 34 percent of U.S. child‑care providers reported a permanent staff reduction in the past two years. In Wisconsin, the rate is higher, with 42 percent of centers reporting at least a 10 percent reduction in staff.

“We’re seeing a brain drain of qualified early‑education professionals,” explained Dr. Angela Kim, a child‑care policy analyst at the University of Wisconsin‑Madison. “The data that the DCF used to provide was a way to monitor those trends and to advocate for targeted training and recruitment efforts.”

The child‑care coalition also highlights the need for better workforce development programs. They cite the 2023 Wisconsin Early‑Childhood Workforce Initiative, which provides up to $2,000 in training grants for childcare providers seeking to earn a state‑accredited early‑childhood education credential. However, because the initiative’s funding is tied to the child‑care capacity data, the lack of public counts has limited its ability to allocate resources effectively.

The Legal Angle

An amendment proposed in the 2025 legislative session by Senator Michael P. (Mike) Malkus seeks to restore the public child‑care count data while also providing a framework for data privacy and reporting compliance. If passed, the bill would require the DCF to submit monthly reports to a newly created Child‑Care Data Transparency Office, staffed by the Department of Public Health’s Office of Data Analytics. This office would publish a publicly accessible dashboard that tracks the number of available spots, waitlists, and geographic distribution of childcare centers.

“It’s about ensuring equity,” Senator Malkus said during a recent hearing. “If a family in rural Wisconsin wants to know how many childcare spots are available in their county, they should be able to find that information online in real time.”

The coalition’s support for the amendment is contingent on the inclusion of a clause that mandates the DCF to incorporate childcare subsidy application data into the dashboard, thereby giving families a clearer picture of affordability options.

Industry Response

While many providers have signed onto the coalition’s call for transparency, some are wary of the data’s impact on small, private centers that fear increased scrutiny and regulatory burden. “We’re not opposed to data,” said Linda Nguyen, owner of Little Sprouts Academy in Racine. “But we need to make sure that the reporting doesn’t become a punitive measure that drives small providers out of business.”

The DCF has responded by stating that the data collection is designed to be minimally invasive. “We’re looking at a streamlined, electronic reporting system that requires a one‑page update each week,” said DCF spokesperson Thomas Reynolds. “Our goal is to provide useful information to families and policymakers without overburdening providers.”

The Way Forward

As the state’s child‑care landscape continues to evolve, the debate over data transparency and funding remains at the forefront. Advocates argue that a robust, publicly accessible data system is essential for aligning resources with demand, whereas opponents caution that new data collection could add a layer of bureaucracy.

The stakes are high for families across Wisconsin. For parents who have had to juggle work, school, and caregiving, the ability to know where a child‑care spot is available and affordable can mean the difference between job stability and financial hardship. For providers, accurate data can guide strategic decisions about hiring, expansion, and service offerings.

The outcome of this debate will likely hinge on the next legislative session’s priorities. Whether the DCF will roll back its decision or whether a bipartisan amendment will force a return to transparency remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that child‑care providers across the state are demanding a tool that has proven invaluable for a decade: a reliable, public record of child‑care capacity that supports families, informs policy, and ultimately protects the next generation.