The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce is celebrating a significant advancement for child care in Pennsylvania with a historic $25 million investment allocated in the newly enacted 2025–2026 state budget. This initiative aims to alleviate the persistent shortage of child care educators, a pressing issue that has been impacting families, employers, and the overall workforce in the state. For the first time in Pennsylvania’s history, a specific budget line dedicated to Child Care Teacher Recruitment and Retention has been established. This positions Pennsylvania alongside 18 other states making direct financial commitments to enhance the early childhood education sector.
Chamber President & CEO Robert S. Carl, Jr. emphasized the importance of this funding, highlighting its role in fortifying both economic and community stability. “Child care is a foundational part of a healthy economy,” Carl remarked, noting that many businesses have voiced their struggles with hiring and retention due to child care shortages. The funding is seen as a direct investment into the workforce’s future.
The new budget marks the first increase for early childhood education funding since 2007, with advocates stating that this investment is vital for securing a stable career path for educators, which in turn ensures the availability of care for families who depend on these services daily. The ongoing issue of insufficient child care workers has led to a series of challenges, including classroom closures and lengthy waitlists, creating barriers for parents seeking to enter or remain in the workforce.
The Chamber also acknowledged the effective collaboration throughout the state, which involved 72 chambers of commerce and economic development organizations advocating for this vital investment. This demonstrates what can be achieved through coordinated advocacy, even in times of tight fiscal conditions and uncertainty about federal funding.
In addition to the $25 million allocated for child care workforce support, the budget features increased funding for other early childhood programs, namely $9.5 million for Pre-K Counts, consistent funding for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program, and a substantial increase of $13.2 million for Early Intervention Part C (infants and toddlers), as well as $28.5 million for Early Intervention Part B (ages 3–5).
The Schuylkill Chamber expressed gratitude toward Governor Josh Shapiro and state legislators for their commitment to early education. Meanwhile, Carl reiterated the Chamber’s resolve to pursue sustainable solutions to tackle the ongoing child care access and affordability crisis. “While this is a major step, our work is far from finished,” he stated. The Chamber is dedicated to collaborating with state leaders and community partners to ensure that this crucial funding translates into tangible support for families and businesses throughout Schuylkill County and beyond, looking ahead towards a more stable economic future for Pennsylvania.