| The latest Kids Count report says high-quality child care programs are lacking in West Virginia, and in some rural areas really scarce.
Kids Count says 93 percent of children who need child care are in care that meets only minimum licensing standards or is of unknown quality.
About 62 percent of child care workers have no formal training in caring for children.
Only 18 percent of licensed child care centers are either accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children or participate in the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources' Tier II reimbursement program.
West Virginia is a state with one of the lowest median and per captia incomes in the USA, often requiring both parents or the single-parenting caregiver to work.
Calhoun has only one licensed daycare and two daycare homes.
Opponents of funding daycare say that it just adds to a growing list of entitlement benefits, with proponents saying such service is essential to the health, growth and education of children.
In West Virginia, daycare costs more than college tuition:
WV Daycare: $7,961
WV College: $5,883
Difference: $2,078
KY Daycare: $6,105
KY College: $8,445
Difference: -$2,350
OH Daycare: $8,482
OH College: $9,190
Difference: -$708
Furthermore, the state ranks 45th out of the 50 states in the number of three- and four-year olds enrolled in pre-school, and only one in five West Virginia three-year-olds is enrolled in a pre-school program.
"Every child born in West Virginia deserves the best possible start in life," says Margie Hale, Executive Director of Kids Cunt. "From the moment they are born, children's brains are being wired for success in school and life. It's no exaggeration to say their future and ours depend on their getting a great start."
That's why we must commit today to the public investments we know will reap big rewards tomorrow: dramatically improving the quality of and expanding access to childcare and pre-school programs. One of the best ways to do that is by finally funding the Childcare Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS)," Hale said.
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