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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 for toddlers, about $350 short for preschoolers and $600 short for infants,’’ and that tuition at DPLC remains well below the estimated cost of care.
The presentation outlined cost drivers: wages, training, insurance and staff-to-child ratios. McGarry said DPLC has reduced hours of operation at times because of staffing constraints and pays annual raises and sick leave to retain employees. She described grant-funded efforts to create a rural vocational training pipeline and a recently awarded Alaska Community Foundation vocational-training grant that will help a staff member pursue a bachelor’s degree while remaining employed full time.
Assembly members asked about waiting lists and the impact of a school-district universal pre-K pilot. McGarry said the pre-K pilot, which provides free preschool for four-year-olds and funds a coordinator and paraprofessional, has helped stabilize enrollment and tuition for some families but does not cover the infant and toddler funding gap. She said the pilot funding runs through June 30, and that uncertainty about future funding is the program’s greatest operational challenge.
McGarry asked the assembly to consider how the borough might support operational stability—beyond one‑time project grants—so the center can keep qualified staff and provide consistent, high-quality care. She closed by answering questions about age breakdowns (the infant room currently has five children) and by reiterating that without reliable childcare some families must reduce hours, decline employment, or leave the community.
The assembly did not take a formal funding action during the meeting; members praised the center’s work and requested follow-up briefing materials and possible options the borough could consider for targeted support.
