Montgomery County hearing outlines crisis in early‑childhood workforce and calls for regulatory fixes, new funds

Montgomery County Council hosted a multi‑agency work session on early childhood care and education workforce shortages, where local officials, Montgomery College, county health and human services and community partners presented data, supports and a set of recommendations for state and local action.

Kimberly Resnick, executive director of the Children’s Opportunity Alliance, said Maryland’s early childhood workforce ‘‘has not recovered post pandemic,’’ citing a loss of about 22% of the workforce since 2020 and placing the state near the bottom of a national workforce index. Resnick said declining provider capacity in Montgomery County has reduced seats — particularly in family child care homes — and pointed to a freeze this fiscal year in the state credentialing program as a lost investment in workforce development.

The presentations outlined specific numbers and conditions county leaders said matter to families and employers. Resnick noted research on early brain development and argued public investment is necessary: ‘‘Every dollar invested in an individual has a higher return on investment the earlier it is invested,’’ she said. County staff added that the state median wage for the ECE workforce was about $14.17 an hour in 2022 and that many childcare workers earn roughly $32,000 a year,…