SEN. RUTH HARDY plays with children at a local child care facility.

Have you noticed new childcare programs springing up all over Addison County? To name a few, the Salisbury Children’s Center opened last fall next to the town offices. Red Clover Children’s Center opened last year at the Congregational Church in Middlebury. A new program is opening this year at the former Addison Central School. The Wren’s Nest Forest Preschool opened last year in the woods of Bristol. The Otter Creek Child Center in Middlebury is undergoing a major expansion, re-opening next year with spots for over 130 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

This abundant crop of high-quality childcare programs is the direct result of Vermont’s Historic Childcare Law Act 76, which became law in 2023. Statewide, more than 90 new childcare programs have opened and 1,000 spots for children have been created over the past two years. Plus, 1,600 additional families are receiving help paying for childcare. The success of Act 76 has been truly remarkable!

For working parents of young children, few things are as necessary as high-quality, affordable childcare. Without childcare, parents are less likely to get to work and make ends meet, employers are less likely to find reliable workers, and children are less likely to be ready for school. This was especially true following the pandemic, when many childcare providers closed up shop and parents, especially mothers, had to leave the workforce.

In 2023, the state Legislature passed Vermont’s Historic Childcare Law Act 76, which invests significant funding to help parents pay for childcare, providers expand and improve their programs, and teachers get more education and higher salaries. Fueled by a modest payroll tax that is shared between employers and employees, Act 76 provides sliding-scale tuition assistance for parents making up to $185,000 annually for a family of four. This means that nearly all of Vermont’s working families are able to get help paying for childcare. Act 76 also increases payments to childcare programs so they can pay teachers more and provide them with more training, which leads to less turnover and higher-quality care.

Here in Addison County the benefits of Act 76 can be seen everywhere. Well-cared-for children, supported parents, valued educators, and successful employers all make for a healthy, vibrant community. It’s so wonderful to see!

Sen. Ruth Hardy, D-Addison County, is the mother of three young adults who all benefited from high-quality childcare. She is the lead sponsor and chief architect of 2023 Act 76, Vermont’s Historic Childcare Law.