The Center for Rural Policy & Development and the Citizens League are excited to continue our discussions on topics important to both rural and urban audiences.
In February 2021, the Center for Rural Policy & Development released a report looking at the state of child care in Greater Minnesota. That report examined why it’s harder to make the usual child care model work in rural areas, how COVID restrictions impacted child care across the state, and recommendations to improve our state’s child care system.
The 2023 legislature invested $300 million over the next four years in learning for the youngest Minnesotans, including in early learning scholarships for more than 25,000 children. Still, a lack of affordable child care continues to be a serious issue across Minnesota. What is the outlook today and what can be done to make additional progress? During this session, you’ll hear from people working directly in child care and top leaders with the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Now, nearly three years later (January 17, 2024), CRPD and the Citizens League hosted an Interconnected online conversation about ongoing challenges facing child care in Minnesota’s rural and urban settings.
Panelists:
Jessica Beyer, Associate Minnesota Director, First Children’s Finance
Tikki Brown, Assistant Commissioner for Children & Family Services, Minnesota Department of Human Services
Marla Fountain, Director, Living Word Childcare Center, Minneapolis
Larry Hosch, Office of Inspector General Licensing Division, Minnesota Department of Human Services
Sherry Tiegs, Sherry Tiegs Family Child Care, Morris
Marnie Werner, Vice President of Research & Operations, Center for Rural Policy & Development
Moderator – Kate Raddatz, Park Street PR