AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Senate’s top Democrats and other legislators from both parties promised to help the early childhood education industry, which was tested during the pandemic.
One hundred fifty providers looked on and spoke at the State House Wednesday, alongside Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, and Majority Leader Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsick.
The pair announced new bills still in development.
Jackson said his would double the monthly salary supplement offered by the state to child care providers from a $200 minimum to $400 and expand child care subsidy eligibility from 85% of the state's median income to 125%.
"We have to do meaningful reform now – not next session, not some other time but now," he said to the crowd.
Vitelli’s bill would enhance funding to eligible programs so they can add positions, as well as expand all-day pre-K to better serve working families.
"You have contributed to Maine’s economic recovery, and your work deserves to be valued," Vitelli said, eluding to how heavily Maine families leaned on child care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rep. Amanda Collamore, R-Pittsfield, was appalled she could not work in her chosen field of child care because the salary would not support her family. Addressing the crowd, she highlighted two of her sponsored bills.
LD1442 would offer state recognition and benefits to the Maine Association for the Education of Young Children. LD948 would create a liaison position between the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services "on early childhood education matters."
Jennifer Michoud owns Kid's Kove Childcare and Learning Center in Springvalle and Sanford. She said she could easily open a third location but said businesses industrywide have been hemorrhaging staff because they can't offer health benefits or pay scales that can be found at entry-level jobs in other fields. She joined Wednesday's event and said she is grateful for the bills announced by Jackson, Vitelli, and others. But she said the entire state government needs to rethink its view of her industry.
"They need to treat us more like the public school system is treated," Michoud told us. "For instance, we need to have access to paid medical leave; we need to have access to paid health insurance; we need to have access to more paid training."
Jackson and Vitelli's bills were still in their infancy and did not have official language, as of Wednesday, including how they would be funded.
Wednesday's event at the State House fell in the middle of the nationally recognized "Week of the Young Child," which is an annual celebration of child care and a platform to advocate for support.