BILLINGS — A bill that would increase access to childcare for daycare and preschool employees is in the works at the Montana Legislature.
House Bill 456 would grant employees of childcare facilities access to the Best Beginnings Scholarship. It's a federal and state funded program that helps cover the costs of childcare. The scholarship is awarded to families earning less than 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
Employees from Little Seeds Early Childhood Center, a Billings daycare and preschool, are in support of HB 456.
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Little Seeds is located in Downtown Billings below the First United Methodist Church. The childcare facility has been around for more than 30 years, and accepts children from six-weeks-old to five-years-old.
"You don't get into the business of daycare for the money. You get into the business of daycare for the kids and helping them," said Shelby Scharen, the executive director of Little Seeds.
Scharen has worked at the daycare since she was a teenager, and before then volunteered at daycares with her mom.
"It's a hard job to do, but it's the most rewarding job to do," she said Friday.
Scharen told MTN that the daycare currently has 70 children. She says while it's a rewarding job, it's also stressful and overwhelming at times.
"We've lost a few staff, because it's just easier for them to stay at home and have their spouses work, then it is for them to work here, and have their check go to the daycare that they have to pay," Scharen said.
Scharen said employees get discounted rates for their child's daycare tuition, however it still comes out to about $200 a month. She said low wages don't make the job any easier.
"We have four staff members here who are parents, who would greatly benefit from being able to be on Best Beginnings," Scharen said.
Scharen is in support of HB 456, as she says it would benefit the hard working employees at Little Seeds.
While Scharen doesn't have children herself, she has seen the impact of Best Beginnings, as Little Seeds accepts recipients of the scholarship.
"It's great because it gives these kids an opportunity that they would not normally have," said Scharen.
Sponsor of HB 456, Representative Jonathan Karlen (D-Missoula), says daycare workers are underpaid and under-appreciated. Karlen told MTN Friday that the average childcare worker makes $23,000 a year, so he wanted to expand Best Beginnings, to allow them to work without the financial burden.
"Childcare (has) become unaffordable, and there's a real shortage of skilled people to work in childcare. Part of that is the low pay," he said on a virtual interview.
HB 456 passed in the House, but was tabled in committee. However, Karlen is still optimistic the bill will pass in the short time the Legislature has left.
"The social skills, the kind of foundational educational skills kids learn in a childcare-type setting, really help prepare them for K-12," he said.
Karlen told MTN that the bill had no opponents testify in the House and had enormous support from teachers, childcare workers, and businesses. The biggest criticism while in the House was the fiscal impact of the bill.
"There's people that say it's too expensive. My response to that is, each childcare worker represents more parents who want to work, being able to work," said Karlen.
According to Karlen, the bill would create positive long-term impacts, eventually expanding spots in daycares and preschools for more children, as less staff turnover is expected.
"This is one of those issues that transcends both urban and rural Montana," said Karlen.
The Legislature has less than two weeks of their session left. Until then, Scharen and her employees at Little Seeds are hopeful it passes, so they can continue to provide high quality care without the monetary stress.
"I don't see any problems with this. I only see it helping us," she said.
