美国国家公共电台 NPR--Bonus checks! One year free! How states are trying to fix a broken child care system

Bonus checks! One year free! How states are trying to fix a broken child care system

Transcript¹

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Child care provider Damaris Mejia is about to get the biggest pay raise of her life, starting this summer: the District of Columbia will send her and her co-teachers each a big check, between $10,000 and $14,000.

At last, "I will have happy teachers!" she says, laughing.

It's part of a broader push — made more urgent by the pandemic — as D.C. and dozens of states try different ways to fix a child care system that is badly broken. Some are using temporary pandemic aid, while others seek longer term funding. Last year, Louisiana passed a sports betting bill that designates 25 percent of revenue for early learning programs. Wherever the money comes from, advocates across the country say something must be done to ease the fundamental challenge of providing care families can afford, while allowing providers to earn a living.

Mejia has run Arco Iris³ ABCD out of her D.C. rowhouse for six years, with a decade of experience before that. On a recent afternoon, she chats with three toddlers as they draw the solar system. A few feet away, three babies nap. Mejia is proud of the quality care and early education she and two co-teachers provide, and research shows it's crucial for children's brain development and success in school.

1 in 3 working families is struggling to find the child care they desperately⁴ need

CORONAVIRUS IN AMERICA: FAMILIES IN CRISIS

1 in 3 working families is struggling to find the child care they desperately need

To ensure that quality, Washington, D.C. is requiring more teacher training, which Mejia says makes her challenge even greater.

"We have one teacher who is in university right now, and then another teacher who has her child development associate's degree," she says. "So we have to be able to give them better pay ... as the years go along."

Mejia pays her teachers $17 an hour. Now, that's well above the national median of $13 an hour that makes child care one of the country's lowest paid occupations. But in pricey D.C., it's barely above minimum wage, which became $16.10 as of July 1. Mejia earns about $30,000 a year. Her profit margin⁵ is so thin, she'll sometimes forgo⁶ her own pay to meet bills, and she's behind on taxes.

She says her pay bump will go first toward helping⁷ pay those back taxes. One of her teachers, Ana Gonzalez, says it will help her finally achieve a goal of having her own house; she and her 24-year-old daughter plan to split the cost and buy something together.

The Treasury⁸ Department has deemed U.S. child care a market failure

For years, families and providers have struggled with a system the U.S. Treasury Department calls a market failure. President Biden proposed a major long term investment to raise the wages of child care providers, and make it affordable¹⁰ or even free for working families. But that plan remains¹¹ sidelined in Congress.

"Our early learning system is in a really fragile state," says Kimberly Perry, executive director of the advocacy group DC Action.

Perry says this year's bonus checks to D.C. providers will launch a transformation¹² that began before the pandemic. In 2018, she helped push through a law to help families pay for child care — D.C.'s is among the most expensive in the country at more than $2,000 a month — and to stem a shortage of early educators by paying them more on par² with public school teachers.

"Their peers in the public school system, doing comparable work, might begin their careers making $60, $63,000 a year," Perry says. "That's a big gap."

The new law was unfunded until last year, when the city council passed a tax increase on wealthier households. Among other things, that will fund the bonus checks to child care providers this year and next, until the pay raise is funneled¹³ into regular paychecks. But the tax increase will only cover less than a quarter of what the law calls for.

Thousands left the field when COVID-19 forced child care centers around the country to close, and early care expert Elliot Haspel says the industry still suffers from one of the worst labor¹⁴ shortages. He says it's become crystal clear that if early educators don't show up for work, millions of others can't either.

"You can quite legitimately¹⁵ argue that if you want to reduce deficits¹⁶, increase economic productivity, help with the supply chain, help with inflation, child care is a key economic policy," says Haspel, the author of "Crawling Behind: America's Child Care Crisis and How To Fix It."

That's why Haspel, Perry and others say the United States should invest far more in child care, and that federal funding is the only real solution. Haspel says it's all the more urgent given the overturn of Roe¹⁷ v. Wade¹⁸ last month, since women denied abortions¹⁹ are more likely to fall deeper into poverty. But right now the U.S. ranks near the bottom of rich countries in public spending on early education.

"Even for the lower and moderate income kids who are eligible²⁰ for subsidy²¹ under the current system," Haspel says, "only one in nine are actually getting them," largely because of the lack of funding.

The United States is also far behind most rich nations in the share of mothers with young children who are in the workforce²². Recent research suggests child care subsidies²³ could allow more than one million U.S. moms to work full-time²⁴ jobs.

More money doesn't always solve a complicated problem

Last year, Texas offered one year of free child care for service industry employees. It was a bid to boost tourism, and the economic recovery, by getting more people working. But it was a bust²⁵ and hardly anyone enrolled²⁶. Advocates blame bureaucratic²⁷ hitches²⁸ with implementation²⁹, and a disconnect with job hours.

"Your service industry employees often are working evenings, nights, weekends, and there is hardly any care available during those hours," says Cody Summerville, executive director of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children.

Summerville says Texas is also using federal pandemic aid to give child care providers sizeable grants, and they have a lot of flexibility³⁰ in how they can spend it. The money can go to defray rising rents and utilities, higher wages or a signing bonus to lure⁹ back teachers, or more training to give them a pathway to advancement³¹. Still, he says, there continues to be intense competition as other industries have been raising their own wages.

"We see across the state, even with the increased funds to the field, that child care is still struggling to attract and retain employees. And there are waitlists at most centers across the state," he says.

What's more, he says Texas is only able to provide child care subsidies to 7 percent of families who qualify for them, even lower than the national rate. That means a wait list of more than 40,000. And in addition to those wait lists, there are many frustrated³² people like Tabitha Burkman.

Tabitha Burkman of Stamford, Texas, says she and her husband earn just $23 over the cutoff to qualify for child care subsidies, yet are unable to pay for care.

Courtesy of Tabitha Burkman

"We make too much to get help, but we don't make enough to actually help ourselves," says the mother of three who lives in Stamford, Texas.

Her husband is a truck driver, and in the past she's worked as a behavioral teacher's assistant in mental health for at-risk children. She says in three different states they have failed to qualify for assistance of any kind. Most recently, even on her husband's income alone, they were deemed $23 over the cutoff.

Burkman is looking for work and open to whatever she can find in Abilene, about 45 minutes away from her small town. She says it makes no sense to take a job if everything she earns just goes to child care, but it's tough finding work without any coverage³³. She just lost out on two positions because "my availability and flexibility just wasn't there for them."

In the meantime, "I've just been picking up work where I can, whether that's mowing³⁴ someone's grass, scrubbing a toilet, just anything and everything." She says she is excellent at budgeting, and "I have fed a family of 5 and 2 dogs on $65 a week."

New Mexico wants to create its own universal child care

In New Mexico, Rosalinda Velarde says she and her husband are lucky to have wonderful child care, and before the pandemic they paid a subsidized lower rate.

"Anywhere between $130 to $170 for child care monthly," she says, "so it was still a pretty big chunk³⁵ of money."

But these days, they pay nothing. New Mexico is using federal pandemic aid to dramatically expand subsidies, making child care free not just for low income families but also those well into the middle-class. Velarde says it's been a lifesaver, especially with a new baby, and her husband's recent career switch to driving trucks. Plus, of course, inflated³⁶ prices for everything.

"Now, instead of using it for child care, I'll use it for gas," she says with a laugh. "You know, it's either one bill or the other."

But that expanded free child care only goes until next summer. And so much other child care spending around the country is set to end when the federal aid stops in the fall of 2024. Many advocates worry that will bring more pain for providers and parents.

New Mexico hopes to cushion the blow. In fact, its pandemic spending is part of a long-term project aimed at "building a universal, high-quality, and family-centered early childhood system," says Elizabeth Groginsky, the state's Secretary for Early Childhood Education.

As a next step, this fall a ballot³⁷ measure will ask voters to OK use of a share of the state's oil and gas revenues to permanently³⁸ fund early education.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 par   

n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的

参考例句：

• Sales of nylon have been below par in recent years.近年来尼龙织品的销售额一直不及以往。
• I don't think his ability is on a par with yours.我认为他的能力不能与你的能力相媲美。

3 iris   

n.虹膜，彩虹

参考例句：

• The opening of the iris is called the pupil.虹膜的开口处叫做瞳孔。
• This incredible human eye,complete with retina and iris,can be found in the Maldives.又是在马尔代夫，有这样一只难以置信的眼睛，连视网膜和虹膜都刻画齐全了。

4 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

5 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

6 forgo   

v.放弃，抛弃

参考例句：

• Time to prepare was a luxuary he would have to forgo.因为时间不够，他不得不放弃做准备工作。
• She would willingly forgo a birthday treat if only her warring parents would declare a truce.只要她的父母停止争吵，她愿意放弃生日宴请。

7 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

8 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

9 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

10 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

11 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

12 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

13 funneled   

漏斗状的

参考例句：

• The crowd funneled through the hall. 群众从走廊中鱼贯而过。
• The large crowd funneled out of the gates after the football match. 足球赛后大群人从各个门中涌出。

14 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

15 legitimately   

ad.合法地；正当地，合理地

参考例句：

• The radio is legitimately owned by the company. 该电台为这家公司所合法拥有。
• She looked for nothing save what might come legitimately and without the appearance of special favour. 她要的并不是男人们的额外恩赐，而是合法正当地得到的工作。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

16 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

17 roe   

n.鱼卵；獐鹿

参考例句：

• We will serve smoked cod's roe at the dinner.宴会上我们将上一道熏鳕鱼子。
• I'll scramble some eggs with roe?我用鱼籽炒几个鸡蛋好吗？

18 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

19 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

20 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

21 subsidy   

n.补助金，津贴

参考例句：

• The university will receive a subsidy for research in artificial intelligence.那个大学将得到一笔人工智能研究的补助费。
• The living subsidy for senior expert's family is included in the remuneration.报酬已包含高级专家家人的生活补贴。

22 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

23 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

25 bust   

vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部

参考例句：

• I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
• She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。

26 enrolled   

adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• They have been studying hard from the moment they enrolled. 从入学时起，他们就一直努力学习。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He enrolled with an employment agency for a teaching position. 他在职业介绍所登了记以谋求一个教师的职位。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 bureaucratic   

adj.官僚的，繁文缛节的

参考例句：

• The sweat of labour washed away his bureaucratic airs.劳动的汗水冲掉了他身上的官气。
• In this company you have to go through complex bureaucratic procedures just to get a new pencil.在这个公司里即使是领一支新铅笔，也必须通过繁琐的手续。

28 hitches   

暂时的困难或问题( hitch的名词复数 )； 意外障碍； 急拉； 绳套

参考例句：

• He hitches a lift with a long - distance truck. 他搭上了一辆长途卡车。
• One shoulder hitches upward in a shrug. 她肩膀绷紧，然后耸了耸。

29 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

30 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

31 advancement   

n.前进，促进，提升

参考例句：

• His new contribution to the advancement of physiology was well appreciated.他对生理学发展的新贡献获得高度赞赏。
• The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning.大学的目标应是促进学术。

32 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

33 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

34 mowing   

n.割草，一次收割量，牧草地v.刈，割( mow的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The lawn needs mowing. 这草坪的草该割了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• "Do you use it for mowing?" “你是用它割草么？” 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

35 chunk   

n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量）

参考例句：

• They had to be careful of floating chunks of ice.他们必须当心大块浮冰。
• The company owns a chunk of farmland near Gatwick Airport.该公司拥有盖特威克机场周边的大片农田。

36 inflated   

adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨

参考例句：

• He has an inflated sense of his own importance. 他自视过高。
• They all seem to take an inflated view of their collective identity. 他们对自己的集体身份似乎都持有一种夸大的看法。 来自《简明英汉词典》

37 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

38 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。