Access to early education and child care services has long been a pressing concern for a significant number of working parents. According to the Early Care and Education Consortium, more than 17.5 million workers, or roughly 20% of the American workforce, rely on child care every day.
The demand, and more so, need, is further heightened when placed in an economic context. A study released by ReadyNation and Council for a Strong America just prior to the pandemic found that a lack of access to child care costs $57 billion in lost earnings, productivity and revenue.
Our workforce's dependence on early education and child care was magnified by pandemic-induced labor shortages. Today, communities are more aware than ever before of the importance of these essential services to families.
As of last year, the Center for American Progress found that over half of Wisconsin families were living in an area with insufficient child care, limiting many parents’ ability to return to work. In fact, the Center’s study states that over 30,000 Wisconsin parents have recently had to make career sacrifices because of challenges in obtaining child care. This is a costly consequence that could ultimately result in an annual loss of $1.1 billion in state workforce revenues, according to a report by Council for a Strong America. In Milwaukee specifically, a 2019 study released by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation reported that more than 18,000 children under the age of three living within the city do not have access to quality early education and care.
While federal and state policymakers continue to debate the best course of action for extending access to quality care, local entrepreneurs can contribute to their community's economic recovery now by investing in child care to become private providers of this essential service to fellow residents. Simply put, owning an early education and child care center offers a rewarding opportunity that directly makes a difference in the lives of working families throughout the Milwaukee area.
Public early child care programs play an important role in some communities, but a mixed-delivery system with private providers is vital for every community because it provides options to meet each family's unique needs, ensuring access to quality early education for all children. Giving Milwaukee families a choice in the early education and child care space ultimately increases access to solutions that can cover more working hours throughout the work week and offer programs tailored for children of younger ages, ranging from infants through pre-K and kindergarten.
Early education schools and child care centers also serve as valuable real estate assets that parents frequent twice-a-day, five-days-a-week, driving consistent foot traffic and the potential to generate revenue for other businesses in their proximity.
For aspiring entrepreneurs who have a passion for education, opening a child care center can seem daunting - especially if they lack the knowledge or tools to start a business. However, by partnering with a well-established early education franchise like Primrose Schools, potential school owners will be armed with resources and training to guide their success, and in return, be able to address a local need by expanding their community's child care options.
Each Primrose school is independently owned and operated, and franchise owners receive an unparalleled level of support throughout the entire ownership journey – from provided curriculum and over 200 hours of training prior to opening, to ongoing marketing and educational guidance throughout the lifetime of the school. The company was also recently ranked by Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500® awardsas the No. 1 franchise in the child care category and No. 65 on the overall list of best franchises for 2022.
Unique to other early education and care brands, Primrose Schools takes an exclusive and research-informed approach to early learning with its proprietary Balanced Learning curriculum, developed by a team of experts to provide a roadmap of daily classroom experiences that foster intellectual, creative, physical and social-emotional development. In 2021, to continue its mission of offering the best high-quality early education and care to its students, Primrose became the first and only national system of preschools to have their teachers and parents utilize evidence-based screening tools for their children that are aligned with the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Experienced entrepreneurs as well as first-time business owners within the community have the unique opportunity to position themselves as business leaders by bringing these high-quality options to the families of Milwaukee. As Primrose Schools looks to grow its existing footprint of nearly 475 schools nationwide with its first school opening soon in Milwaukee, interested owners can invest now in their communities by inquiring about opening a Primrose school of their own.
To find out more about franchise opportunities offered through Primrose Schools, visit franchise.primroseschools.com or call 1-800-PRIMROSE (774-6767).
WATCH: Primrose Schools franchise owner Ruthann Peace discusses her choice to open her own Primrose school.
