Many child care providers struggle with low wages and few are able to afford the high cost of earning a degree. A new bill, AB 847, was recently introduced that would provide higher education loan repayment assistance for child care providers who received a degree in ECE on or after May 1, 2009. The bill was introduced by Representative Black and has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Children and Families. If passed, the bill would allow child care providers who have worked in the field for at least one year to be reimbursed for 10% of their outstanding student loan principal amount or $1000 (whichever is less). Providers who remain in the field would be eligible to receive additional reimbursements every year- up to five years. Read the full text of the bill here.

This bill, along with the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Wisconsin scholarship program, would help child care professionals tremendously with the overwhelming cost of earning a degree. Making higher education more affordable is important because providers who have completed ECE specific higher education are linked with better outcomes for young children in care. To support this bill, contact your legislator (find out who represents you here) or Representative Tamara Grigsby, the chair of the Assembly Committee on Children and Families.