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Denali preschool tells borough childcare shortfalls hurt workforce; grant and training efforts underway
Summary
Denali Preschool & Learning Center told the Denali Borough Assembly it is operating reduced hours and absorbing a funding gap between tuition and the "true cost" of quality child care; the center said grants and a vocational training fund help retain staff but operational funding remains limited.
Monica McGarry, co-director of Denali Preschool & Learning Center, told the Denali Borough Assembly that childcare in the borough falls well short of the state-identified ‘true cost’ and that the shortfall threatens workforce stability.
McGarry said the center’s current enrollment is about 34 children and that ‘‘child care is an essential infrastructure’’ that local employers—including Denali National Park and Preserve and nearby employers—rely on for recruitment. Citing a recent Alaska study, she said current subsidies and market rates leave providers on average ‘‘about $700 short…
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