EXCERPT: “When Congress approved the massive $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan in March, it earmarked $40 billion to help bail out the country’s struggling child care system. Minnesota, in turn, got more than half a billion dollars for its child care providers. The influx of cash resulted in a tug-of-war over how to spend the money in Minnesota — and who should spend it. But after months of negotiations, lawmakers in St. Paul settled on a plan that will boost reimbursement rates in the primary subsidy for low-income families and increase pay for child care workers through monthly ‘stabilization grants’ to providers across the state. Still, as state agencies work to disburse the funds, some child care providers and advocates have mixed feelings — elated about the money they can now spend, but disappointed the state did not provide much of its own funding for the industry and apprehensive that a future without federal cash would leave the industry unstable.” FULL STORY: https://fluence-media.co/37ipVft
