A task force, a Children’s Day at the Capitol, and a new workforce child care subsidy bill are a few of the pieces of South Dakota advocates’ push to better support the state’s child care providers and workers.
Early childhood educators play a critical role in creating the supportive learning environments children need to thrive, but their work is too often undervalued. In fact, early educators do not earn a living wage in any state, and 2 out of every 5 early educator families rely on public assistance just to get by. Being overworked and underpaid makes it incredibly difficult for these workers to care for their own families, and it also contributes to burnout and staffing shortages that, in turn, impact the quality and accessibility of child care.
Child care advocates in South Dakota focused their efforts this past year to improve the working conditions and financial health of the early care and education workforce. While they ultimately did not secure a policy win, they came away with other victories that will set them up for success in the future.
In 2023, the South Dakota Child Care Task Force was formed to confront the state’s child care crisis. There is a 35 percent gap between available slots and demand, higher than the national average. This child care deficit not only puts a strain on families but also lowers workforce participation and productivity and costs the state $329 million annually. In January, the task force and The Hunt Institute released a report concluding that South Dakota’s child care model is unsustainable. One of its key recommendations was to establish child care assistance for members of the early care and education workforce, an essential step, though just one piece of a larger and multifaceted response needed to stabilize the system.
Acting on this recommendation, two legislators from the South Dakota Child Care Task Force introduced HB1132. The bill aimed to raise income eligibility for child care assistance for people who work at least 30 hours per week in licensed child care centers, school-based programs, or family homes. The lawmakers argued that increasing access to the subsidy program could help retention and encourage more people to pursue careers in early childhood education, which are crucial to addressing the dire state of things in the state.
South Dakota was not the first state to consider this approach. In 2022, Kentucky became the first state to make child care workers automatically eligible for child care assistance, creating a model that has since been recognized as both effective and replicable. Since then, more than a dozen states, both red and blue alike, have adopted or introduced similar policies, reflecting a growing recognition that supporting the workforce is key to solving the child care crisis. HB1132 garnered considerable bipartisan support, passing in both the South Dakota Senate and House of Representatives. Despite that momentum, the governor ultimately vetoed the measure, arguing that it would give child care workers preferential treatment over other low-wage employees.
Although HB1132 was not enacted, it laid the necessary groundwork and built momentum for future advocacy. Kayla Klein, a consultant who helped launch Early Learner South Dakota and contracts with the South Dakota Association for the Education of Young Children (SDAEYC), recalled that at times it felt like “the cards were stacked against us” because South Dakota’s Department of Social Services (DSS) lobbied to defeat the bill. Fortunately, there was a “massive network of advocates” representing parents, providers, educators, and business leaders throughout the state who helped to rally support. For the first time, SDAEYC hired a paid lobbyist to work alongside Klein, mapping out potential swing votes and mobilizing communities. In Aberdeen, an early learner community where SDAEYC has quite a few partners, they were able to tap into their network of advocates and encourage them to contact their local legislator ahead of a critical vote on HB1132. Though he initially opposed the bill, after hearing directly from families and businesses about the child care crisis, the legislator reversed course, not only voting in favor but publicly championing the measure. “Not only did the committee pass it, but we actually got more votes than we expected…that is true grassroots advocacy,” said Klein. “I keep telling our stakeholders that is the power of one or two people. You don’t think your voice matters, but it does. It matters so much, and that was a true case in point.”
Dr. Janessa Bixel, Executive Director at SDAEYC, credits advocates with their ability to work together and push HB1132 further along in the legislative process than any other child care bill in over a decade. “We have built relationships in many communities. When it comes time to rally again and get support, we already have that foundation built,” she said. While the bill ultimately failed, its progress is a sign of momentum and hope. After learning of the veto, advocates “took time to grieve, but have already found the pivot and are game planning for next year,” said Klein. “We know we have more support than we ever had before, so we want to run on that.”
Policy change is rarely immediate, and progress cannot be measured by legislative wins alone. While HB1132 did not become law, the advocacy behind it was far from wasted. Every community action, coalition gathering, and conversation with policymakers helped shift the narrative around child care and strengthen support for the early care and education workforce in South Dakota. These are essential victories in themselves that lay the foundation for lasting change. The momentum built through HB1132 makes one thing clear: the movement to address South Dakota’s child care crisis is growing stronger and is impossible to ignore.