The need for quality early childhood education in East Alabama is an important conversation that impacts families, employers, educators, and the future of our communities. Through its ongoing “Our Children. Our Future.” Community Conversations initiative, the East Alabama Early Care and Education Workforce Alliance is bringing people together to discuss challenges, explore solutions, and build support for expanding access to high-quality early care and education across the region.
The East Alabama Early Care and Education Workforce Alliance was established through Southern Union State Community College to bring together partners from education, business, workforce development, government, and the community to address challenges affecting child care access and workforce participation across the region.
In Alabama, only about 47 percent of 4-year-olds are enrolled in Pre-K or Head Start programs. At the same time, access to affordable, high-quality child care remains a significant challenge for many working families, making it difficult for parents to enter or remain in the workforce. Even before the pandemic, employers nationwide lost $13 billion in productivity annually due to child care gaps, and nearly 90 percent of U.S. parents said that child care problems impacted their ability to work.
An analysis conducted by Longleaf Strategies found that, in Lee County, approximately 8,000 children under the age of six have all available parents in the workforce. Yet the county has only 5,638 licensed child care spaces, leaving a gap of more than 2,100 spaces between the potential need for care and the current supply. The analysis also found that a Lee County family with two children in care pays an average of $1,326 each month for child care.
“Early care and education is more than a family issue. It is essential infrastructure for a thriving community,” said Sandy Little, Child Development Program Director at Southern Union State Community College, who is leading the initiative. “Nearly 90 percent of brain development occurs before the age of five. When we invest in high-quality early care and education, we strengthen children’s developing brains, support working families, and build a stronger workforce, economy, and community.”
Over the past several months, the Alliance has been convening business leaders, employers, educators, child care providers, families, workforce partners, policymakers, and community organizations to discuss the vital role early care and education plays in workforce participation, economic development, and the healthy development of young children.
Community Conversations have been held with the East Alabama Early Care and Education Workforce Alliance Steering Committee, Southern Union State Community College, Auburn Montessori School: The Children’s House, and the Auburn and Opelika Chambers of Commerce. Future conversations will take place at the Child Care Resource Center, Greater Peace Baptist Church, and Growing Room Child Development Center as the Alliance continues gathering perspectives from across East Alabama.
The conversations are helping identify both the strengths of the current early care and education system and opportunities to better connect existing resources that support children, families, providers, employers, and the community. The findings will help shape future collaborative efforts to strengthen early care and education across the region.
The Community Conversations will culminate with the Early Care and Education Summit on September 17, at Southern Union State Community College, where participants will share findings, continue the conversation, and identify next steps for strengthening early childhood education in East Alabama. For updates on further community conversations and the September Summit or to become involved in the conversation follow the Alliance on Facebook and LinkedIn.
