DELC: ERDC caseload doubled since 2022; long wait list and funding constraints cited

Department of Early Learning and Care officials told the House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services on Tuesday that employment-related day care (ERDC) enrollment has nearly doubled since December 2022, and that a wait list activated Nov. 4, 2023 now contains more than 96,100 families seeking subsidized child care.

"ERDC subsidizes the cost of child care by making payments to a family's chosen childcare provider on their behalf," Dorothy Spence, interim early learning programs director at DELC, told the committee as staff described program design, eligibility and recent trends.

DELC said ERDC moved into the standalone department on July 1, 2023 and now combines federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) dollars with state general funds. CCDF imposes federal requirements, Spence said, including that states set co-pays at no more than 7% of family income and provide at least 12 months of protected eligibility. DELC staff noted collective bargaining sets provider rates at a percentage of the market-price study; currently ERDC rates are set at 80% of market. Spence said…