Office of the City Clerk - Record #: R2017-734

• Record #: R2017-734
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Failed to Pass
• Intro date: 9/6/2017
• Current Controlling Legislative Body: Committee on Education and Child Development
• Title: Expression of support for establishment of universal access to child care and early education programs for working parents
• Sponsors: Sadlowski Garza, Susan, Cappleman, James, Maldonado, Roberto, Smith, Michele, Foulkes, Toni, Munoz, Ricardo, Lopez, Raymond A., Villegas, Gilbert, Arena, John, Ramirez-Rosa, Carlos, Taliaferro, Chris, Scott, Jr. Michael, Hopkins, Brian , Reboyras, Ariel, Mitts, Emma, Burnett, Jr., Walter, Napolitano, Anthony V., Waguespack, Scott, Reilly, Brendan, O'Shea, Matthew J., Ervin, Jason C., Sposato, Nicholas, Sawyer, Roderick T., Zalewski, Michael R., Moore, David H., Dowell, Pat, King, Sophia D., Santiago, Milagros, Curtis, Derrick G., Hairston, Leslie A., Mitchell, Gregory I., Cardenas, George A., Mell, Deborah, Moore, Joseph, Osterman, Harry, Brookins, Jr., Howard, Moreno, Proco Joe
• Related files: R2019-362

Date	Journal Page Number	Action By	Action	Result
5/29/2019		City Council	Failed to Pass
9/6/2017	55777	City Council	Referred

Committee(s) Assignment: Committee on Education and Child Development
Committee on Education and Child Development
September 6,2017 City Council Meeting

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, parental income and economic stability is a key determinant of child outcomes; and

WHEREAS, according to the Center for American Progress, approximately 80% of Chicagoans, including 5 out of every 6 children, live in a child care desert, with more than three children under age 5 per slot in licensed centers; and

WHEREAS, according to a 2016 report from Illinois Action for Children, there are only enough licensed slots in child care centers, school age programs and family child care in Chicago to account for 26% of children ages birth to 12 with all parents working; and

WHEREAS, the Child Care Assistance Program only provides child care subsidies to an estimated 31% of children eligible to receive assistance; and

WHEREAS, according to Fiscal Year 2015 program data and 2014 census data, it is estimated that more than 100,000 children ages five and under have working parents and no access to affordable child care; and

WHEREAS, according to data from the Economic Policy Institute, the average child care worker in Illinois cannot afford child care themselves, with center-based infant care costs at more than 50% of their annual median wage; and

WHEREAS, the pipeline of qualified early childhood educators struggles to attract new teachers into the workforce and does not adequately support or reward the current workforce in attaining further professional development; and

WHEREAS, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is implementing federal Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) health and safety requirements in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) in a manner that is anticipated to further constrict the pool of qualified early childhood professionals and reduce access for families to affordable child care, including mandating more than 50 hours of unpaid training to be completed in 1...