BROOKFIELD, Wis. — Families across Waukesha County and the state are bracing for potential child care rate increases as a crucial state funding program is about to end, leaving many parents worried about affordability.
When Angela Lenz couldn't get answers from lawmakers about the future of child care funding, she reached out to TMJ4 to help find answers. After sending multiple emails and letters without response, she felt her concerns weren't being heard.
"I sent letters and emails and didn't hear anything back," Lenz said.
The Waukesha mother and her husband are already paying more than $1,200 monthly for their daughter's child care — approximately $14,400 annually, which aligns with the average cost in Waukesha County. For families with infants, that cost climbs even higher to more than $18,000 per year.
With the state's Child Care Counts program set to expire at the end of June, Lenz and other parents are anticipating significant rate increases. While her family can manage the additional expense, she's advocating for those who cannot.
"Parents are going to have to pull their kids out because they can't afford it. I don't think that is a good thing for the community as a whole," Lenz said.
TMJ4 spoke with local child care providers who share these concerns. Heather Butkiewicz, a Brookfield preschool owner, participated in a roundtable discussion hosted by Democratic lawmakers State Representative Robyn Vining and State Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin to address the impending funding crisis.
"You as a parent have to go to work. How are you going to go to work?" Butkiewicz said, highlighting the essential role child care plays in supporting working families.
The Child Care Counts program, which has been allocating COVID relief funds to support child care facilities, will end in two weeks. Democratic lawmakers are pushing for replacement funding, but the Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee have not yet indicated whether they will support any child care programs.
Watch: Day care families bracing for day care price hikes as state funding ends
Butkiewicz explained that despite her efforts to minimize expenses, quality child care requires adequate funding for staff.
"If you want quality child care, I have cut everything I can possibly cut. I do a lot of the services on my own. But I still have to pay the teachers," Butkiewicz said.
Without state support, providers like Butkiewicz will have no choice but to increase rates.
"I will now have to look at increasing the rates because if I don't have the funding, the money has to come from someplace," she said.
Lenz emphasized that affordable child care should be accessible to all families, not just those with financial means.
"I think it is super important especially for families that have multiple kids or are struggling financially to have options. I don't want it to be just something that people who are able to afford it can attend," Lenz said.
TMJ4 reached out to Republican Joint Finance Committee chairs for comment but did not receive a response. The committee is expected to vote on child care funding by the end of the month.
We're continuing to follow this developing story and will provide updates as lawmakers make decisions that could impact child care affordability for families across our community.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
