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Regional Child Care Exchange pitched to Overland Park committee as public–private funding approach
Summary
A MARC official described the 'Community Child Care Exchange', a model to pool employer, philanthropic, public and family funds to subsidize child care slots, support staff wages and improve access regionally.
A presenter from the Mid-America Regional Council told the committee about an ongoing regional planning effort to create a Community Child Care Exchange that would pool multiple funding sources to make early care and education more affordable and stabilize the provider market.
"Right now, child care is funded mostly by parents. In Johnson County, I think it's, like, 97 of all dollars that go into early care and education is parent funds," Dr. Toni Stervan, director of the early learning department at MARC, told the committee. The exchange concept would combine family payments with employer contributions, philanthropic funds, local government support and possible state funding to pay providers for slots through an intermediary.
Stervan said the exchange is one of several pillars in a regional early learning strategy that also includes workforce supports, training, data and governance. The model aims to reduce family costs and provide wage supplements to early educators, a workforce that the presenter described as "very underpaid." She gave an illustrative example: if tuition is $12,000–$16,000 a year per child, layering funding sources could reduce the share a single family must pay.
Council members asked practical questions about who would participate, how the program would list and match licensed family child-care providers and whether employers could take advantage of tax credits for contributions. Stervan said licensing lists would be used to identify participating home-based providers and that Kansas and federal tax credits exist for employers that help fund childcare. She also said Missouri employers have indicated interest but that some commitments were awaiting state funding decisions.
Council members suggested outreach through the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce, the city manager’s office and HR departments at large local employers. Stervan said MARC and partner organizations can provide shareable materials and speak to employer groups. The committee requested follow-up materials, and council members discussed whether the city could participate as an employer or incentivize participation in development agreements. Stervan encouraged the city to refer employers and HR departments to the regional team and to consider including the exchange in local development or legislative agendas.
