Why is Child Care So Expensive? What We Can Do About It.

As Chief of Police for Tucson, I have seen firsthand the impact of early childhood experiences on the path kids take in life. Many of the challenges our city faces with public safety often have roots that can be traced to the earliest years of life. It is this experience that has shown me the importance of high-quality early childhood education, not just as a beneficial investment in our children’s futures but as a critical strategy for crime prevention.

The Pima County Board of Supervisor’s recent approval of the Prosperity Initiative Board Policy E36.2 reiterated the County’s commitment to early childhood education as a pathway out of poverty for working parents and their children. Attached is the mid-year report concerning the Pima Early Education Program, also known as PEEPs. Mid way through the third year of the program, it is remarkable to see the growth in the number of children being served, which currently stands at 1,698.

The Learning Experience and Academy of Early Education, a child day care center franchise, is set to open two new locations in the Tucson area by the fall of 2025. Each location will be a newly constructed 10,000-square-foot building with a 5,000-square-foot playground. With about 30 staff members and certified teachers employed at each location, about 180 children between the ages of 6 weeks old to 6 years old will be cared for through day care, early childhood education and enrichment programs.

The Tucson Metro Chamber understands the undeniable link between accessible and affordable childcare and workforce productivity and retention. The economic impact of unreliable childcare will impose substantial and long-lasting consequences in Arizona. ReadyNation’s December 2023 study found that there is “an annual economic cost of $4.7 billion in lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.” Therefore, supporting childcare initiatives isn't merely a social good; it's a strategic move that benefits both employers and employees. 

As families across Arizona struggle to afford childcare for their young children, Pima County is in its third year helping fund preschool for children from low-income households.

A December 2023 report from Ready Nation: Council for a Strong America titled “The Economic Impacts of Insufficient Child Care Cost Arizona $4.7 Billion Annually” has prompted coverage by News 4 Tucson (KVOA) and at least one article in the Arizona Daily Star.

Community interviews have recently been made with the help of REA Media (Raul Aguirre) and Children’s Action Alliance. The interviews cover all options available to families and include quite a bit about the PEEPs program opportunities too.

Dear friends and supporters of preschool,

Good news first, and then a call to action!  Your advocacy is important and works! Below is a summary from Nicole Scott the program director for Pima Early Education Program (which we affectionately call PEEPs) about the great strides we are making locally. The full report is uplifting reading.