Local schools would provide after school daycare services. The price would be almost half of what private centers charge, and the school system could make a profit. Parents also wouldn’t have to worry about getting their child from school to a daycare center.
Like many things, once you get below the surface the situation isn’t as pretty.
It didn’t take long for daycare providers to cry foul. They poked holes in the plan and asked the question about what happens when schools close for the summer or for holiday breaks? Private centers that might cater to 50 or 60 children can’t be expected to be open only when the schools decide they will be closed. Workers will want a steady paycheck.
While the schools said they could increase employment by hiring people to staff the after school programs, the flip side is private child care centers would probably have to lay off workers. If there is no net gain, it’d simply be a case of a private payroll shifting to a public payroll.
We guess the most troubling thing about the situation is the question of what role government should play. The private centers are for-profit, and there is nothing wrong with that. Men and women put up their own money to build them and staff them. If they don’t do a good job, they go out of business and the investors lose their money. If they provide a good service at a fair price, they will make money and earn a return on their investment.
The school-based facilities would be using existing school buildings, something the taxpayer already paid for. It’s easy to see why the schools might be able to charge $35 a week compared to the $55 a week some private centers charge. The school-based centers will have no debt service to pay back for the infrastructure, they simply have to pay the labor costs.
“They may have thought this through on what’s best for the school system, but have they given us any consideration or invited us to any of their meetings?” said Margie Jackson. She operates Margie’s Treasure Chest in Hamlet and an after school program at Fairview Heights Elementary. “I don’t think so. Before they make their final decision, they should bring in some childcare center owners and ask what’s going to happen to the children if we have to shut down.”
The luster of the school system plan also fades when you realize that the difference between $55 and $35 may not be an apples to apples comparison. For $55, some centers will watch your child from the early morning until the late afternoon. They also provide breakfast and snacks.
The issue of providing affordable child care is an important one. If you make minimum wage, working a 40-hour week will earn you $290 before taxes. A $55 weekly child care bill represents a big chunk of money.
We don’t fault school officials for trying to find a solution, but we question if the current plan is the right thing, at least in its present form.
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