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Pennsylvania chamber of commerce leaders, child care teachers, and parents gathered on Zoom Wednesday to discuss how the ongoing state child care teacher shortage is forcing classrooms to close and leaving working families scrambling to find child care.

During the event, participants said that the teacher shortage – driven by unlivable wages – is limiting care options for working parents and called on state lawmakers to address the shortage.

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Participants urged state lawmakers to prioritize child care in the 2025-26 state budget by including Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposal to invest $55 million in a new and recurring Child Care Recruitment and Retention line item to boost the pay of the state’s child care teachers by $1,000.

“As chamber leaders, we know that child care isn’t just a family issue – it’s an economic issue,” said Ron Aldom, executive director of the Somerset County Chamber. “This is why more than 70 of Pennsylvania’s local chambers of commerce are urging the General Assembly to invest in our child care teachers. When parents can’t find reliable, affordable care, they can’t work. When child care providers struggle to recruit and retain staff, classrooms close and employers lose valuable employees.”

Albom cited the results of a statewide PA Chamber survey of employers on the impact of limited child care options on Pennsylvania businesses. The survey found that:

• A total 81% of employers said they have moderate or significant recruitment and retention issues due to child care challenges.
• A total 69% of businesses indicated that it is extremely or very important to help their employees meet their child care needs.

According to the survey, he said, a total of 60% of parents reported being late for work because of child care problems, while 27% had to quit jobs and 18% were fired. Aldom also cited economic analysis from the nonprofit ReadyNation and the PA Early Learning Investment Commission that showed gaps in Pennsylvania’s child care system costing working families, employers, and taxpayers $6.65 billion annually in lost earnings, productivity, and tax revenue.

Briana Tomack, president and CEO of the Greater Latrobe-Laurel Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce said that Pennsylvania has lost 460 of its child care providers since 2019.

“In Southwest PA specifically, the numbers are at critical levels,” she said. “Fayette County has lost over 30% of its providers, Greene over 25% of their providers, and Westmoreland has lost over 11%. Imagine trying to keep a job, run a business, or even put food on the table when child care is out of reach – not for weeks, but for years.”

A September survey conducted by the Start Strong PA Campaign of 1,140 state child care providers showed that 92% of child care programs reported challenges in recruiting staff, with 85% struggling with teacher shortages that are leaving more than 3,000 unfilled positions statewide. Programs could serve an additional 25,320 children if they could recruit and retain the necessary staff, and these numbers represent less than 18% of the total open registered programs in Pennsylvania.

“Right now, we serve 120 children,” said Brie Rice, program specialist at Irwin’s JB’s Bright Beginnings. “But here’s the heartbreaking reality: We’re licensed for 350.”

Amy Bradley, president and CEO of the Cambria Regional Chamber of Commerce, said that in a September survey, 100% of the 23 providers that responded in Cambria County said they face challenges recruiting the staff they need, resulting in 64 unfilled staff positions and 748 child care spaces unavailable for working families.

Dr. Leah Spangler, CEO of Johnstown’s The Learning Lamp, said there are 48 unfilled child care educator jobs in Somerset, Cambria, and Fayette counties. If fully staffed, a total of 297 more children could be served.

“I wear two hats that feel impossible to balance most days,” said Sara Sisler, parent and director of curriculum, environment, and development at Judy Early Education Group. “I’m not only a parent of two young children who rely on child care, but I’m also an early educator in the field. I have witnessed the recruitment and retention challenges firsthand, as the turnover rates in our centers are at an all-time high.”

Stephanie McAdoo, director of Indiana County’s Indi Kids said it is challenging to fill open child care positions because “teachers make less than cashiers at Sheetz or Target.” 

And Dan DeBone, president and CEO of the Westmoreland County Chamber, noted that polling data has shown that Pennsylvania voters overwhelmingly support increased funding to grow early childhood care and education programs. A Susquehanna poll found that Pennsylvania voters believe that early childhood education is an important component of a child leading a healthy and productive life (98%), support increasing state funding for teacher recruitment and retention (83%), and back more funding to increase pre-k teacher compensation (72%).

The discussion between the county leaders, educators, and parents can be viewed online.