t would cost nearly $1.7 billion to expand access to subsidized childcare in Virginia and pay early childhood educators more, according to a new study. The new research comes as the commonwealth recently took steps to fund — and clear — the waitlist for one popular program. But experts and advocates say that the waitlist is only one indicator of demand for subsidized childcare.

A new survey finds 3 in 4 U.S. voters say the cost of childcare is a major problem — and it’s among reasons affordability is a top issue this election year. For parents who pay for childcare, more than a third say it’s one of their top two expenses, according to a poll commissioned by the First Five Years Fund, which advocates for expanding early learning and care.

In most schools, substitute teachers are commonplace. Finding temporary teachers to fill in at childcare centers is a bit more complicated. But a new pilot program helps daycares in the Richmond region hire qualified substitutes through an app.

Have you heard about VPM’s “When, Then - 90by5” early childhood messaging campaign? Since the campaign expanded into Charlottesville earlier this year, the campaign has connected 107,000 parents and caregivers to helpful resources, such as interactive games, activities, posters and other educational content. But what is the 90by5 campaign and why is it important? “The name 90by5 reflects the fact that 90% of a child’s brain develops by age 5,” said Mary Jo Grieve, VPM’s Director of Early Childhood Care and Education. “The "When, Then" message reinforces a simple idea: When parents and caregivers engage with young children through everyday interactions, then those children build the skills they need to succeed in school and in life.”

Virginia has been a national leader in child care for years, using federal pandemic funds and state dollars to expand and maintain access to affordable, high-quality care for working families across the state. Virginia’s investments have raised child care quality and have increased access to care for families. However, gaps remain: early childhood educators continue to earn well below a living wage, and child care remains unaffordable for many Virginia families. Virginia’s strategic access to relevant data has made it possible to project the annual cost of increasing educator wages to parity with elementary school teachers and funding access to high-quality child care that aligns with parent demand. Assuming an uptake of 70% of children in eligible working families, this expansion would require a new annual investment of $1.68B per year.