Oklahoma
Working families in Oklahoma need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children.
Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Oklahoma. But too many working families in Oklahoma are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Oklahoma economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
There are 300K children ages 5 and under in Oklahoma – 60% of these children have all available parents in the workforce.
The typical annual cost of child care for an infant in Oklahoma is around $10,000.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant only reaches 25% of eligible families in Oklahoma. (This federal program helps low-income parents afford child care.)
On average, child care providers in Oklahoma earn just $25,890 a year; this can make it a challenge to recruit and retain this workforce, leading to supply issues.
Oklahoma’s economy loses $1.2B annually due to child care challenges.
Oklahoma: In The Headlines
‘We are in a crisis’: Oklahoma parents scramble to find child care amid long waitlists
koco | April 4, 2024
The cost of care is also leading to a crisis in Oklahoma, as parents rely on child care to get back to work and provide for their families.
The rising cost of child care and how to make it more affordable
News 9 | June 9, 2024
A new report shows the inflation rate is getting a little better, but the cost of child care is still very expensive.
Oklahoma Families Struggle To Find Child Care Amid Shortages And Rising Costs
News 9 | aUGUST 21, 2024
According to the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness, there is already a shortage of licensed, quality child care across the state.
Oklahoma Resources & News
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