Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce Applauds State Investment in Child Care Workforce

The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce is praising a landmark investment by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania aimed at addressing the statewide shortage of child care educators—a crisis that has long strained families, employers, and the broader workforce.
For the first time in Pennsylvania history, the newly enacted 2025–2026 state budget includes a dedicated $25 million budget line for Child Care Teacher Recruitment and Retention. With this move, Pennsylvania joins 18 other states investing directly in strengthening the early childhood education workforce.

Chamber President & CEO Robert S. Carl, Jr. called the new funding a critical step forward for both economic and community stability.

“Child care is a foundational part of a healthy economy,” Carl said. “Our members consistently share how child care shortages affect their hiring, retention, and operations. This new commitment from the Commonwealth is a direct investment in Pennsylvania’s workforce and economic future.”

The new Child Care Teacher Recruitment and Retention line item marks the first early childhood education budget line created since 2007. State officials and advocates say the investment will help stabilize a profession that tens of thousands of families rely on daily, ensuring educators receive the ongoing support needed to keep centers open and accessible.

Pennsylvania has faced a prolonged shortage of child care workers, leading to classroom closures, long waitlists, and reduced availability of care—barriers that, in turn, hinder parents' ability to stay in the workforce.

The Chamber highlighted the powerful statewide collaboration behind this accomplishment. A total of 72 chambers of commerce and economic development organizations united to advocate for the investment, emphasizing the direct impact child care availability has on local business operations.

Despite a tight fiscal year and uncertainty surrounding federal support, the new funding line demonstrates what coordinated, statewide advocacy can achieve.

Additional Early Childhood Investments in the 2025–2026 Budget

Beyond the $25 million for child care workforce support, the new state budget includes several other increases for early childhood programs:

• $9.5 million in additional funding for Pre-K Counts
• Level funding for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program
• $13.2 million increase for Early Intervention Part C (infants and toddlers)
• $28.5 million increase for Early Intervention Part B (ages 3–5)

The Schuylkill Chamber expressed appreciation to Governor Josh Shapiro, his administration, and the Pennsylvania Legislature for prioritizing early education in this year’s budget. Chamber leadership says they remain committed to advancing long-term solutions to the child care access and affordability crisis.

“While this is a major step, our work is far from finished,” Carl added. “We will continue to advocate for strong, sustainable investments that support children, help families, strengthen our workforce, businesses and nonprofits, and secure Pennsylvania’s economic future.”

The Chamber plans to continue working closely with state leaders and community partners to ensure the new funding brings meaningful relief to families and employers across Schuylkill County and the Commonwealth.