2024 — Q1 Update on Childcare Challenges and CollaborationsCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Consent Items # 07.
Copyrighted
March 18, 2024
ITEM TITLE: 2024 — Q1 Update on Childcare Challenges and Collaborations
SUMMARY: City Manager is providing a quarterly update on the status of collaboration
efforts among partners in Dubuque to address a need for sufficient
quality, affordable childcare options in the community.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
MVM Memo
Staff Memo
Type
City Manager Memo
Staff Memo
THE C
DUjIBQTE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: 2024 — Q1 Update on Childcare Challenges and Collaborations
DATE: March 12, 2024
Dubuque
WAWca 914
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2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
Economic Development Director Jill Connors is providing a quarterly update on the
status of collaboration efforts among partners in Dubuque to address a need for
sufficient quality, affordable childcare options in the community.
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Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Jill Connors, Economic Development Director
Dubuque
THE CITY OF
All -America My
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DUB E
2007-2012.2013
Masterpiece on the Mississippi 2017*2019
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Jill M. Connors, Economic Development Director
Economic Development
Department
1300 Main Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4763
Office (563) 589-4393
TTY (563) 690-6678
http://www.cityofdubuque.org
SUBJECT: 2024 — Q1 Update on Childcare Challenges and Collaborations
DATE: March 5, 2024
INTRODUCTION
This memorandum provides a quarterly update on the status of collaboration efforts
among partners in Dubuque to address a need for sufficient quality, affordable childcare
options in the community.
BACKGROUND
Through the work of multiple partners over several years, the lack of access to quality,
affordable childcare has been identified as a barrier to employment and economic
prosperity in Dubuque.
In FY2019 the City Council committed $80,000 to Greater Dubuque Development to
support a pilot program developed to provide free childcare to Opportunity Dubuque
students and graduates at Northeast Iowa Community College. Then in FY2020 a small
group including City staff, as well as staff from Greater Dubuque Development, Northeast
Iowa Community College, and the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque,
participated in a National League of Cities program (Cities of Opportunity), using that
opportunity to discuss our local childcare challenges. The program is designed to provide
a framework for how to address community -wide issues in order to achieve desired
outcomes.
During its annual goal setting, the Dubuque City Council identified "Childcare Initiative"
as a 2021-2023 High Priority. And its 2022-2024 priorities include implementation of the
Poverty Prevention and Reduction Plan, which calls for an Early Learning & Childcare
task force to address childcare deserts and the childcare worker shortage.
DISCUSSION
Stemming from and in tandem with the work with the National League of Cities, the small
group began to have a larger conversation with additional organizations suited to address
childcare issues. This local coalition is collaborating to address current challenges and
to identify next steps in this work for a community -wide approach to providing sufficient
affordable, quality childcare in Dubuque to support families, employers, workforce, and
childcare providers.
Our local coalition is comprised of the following partners:
• City of Dubuque
• Childcare Resource & Referral
• Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
• Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce
• Dubuque Community School District
• Dubuque County Early Childhood
• Dubuque Initiatives
• Greater Dubuque Development Corporation
• Northeast Iowa Community College
• Visiting Nurses Association
RECENT WORK
Wage Enhancement Program
Several of the partners, in particular Dubuque Initiatives and the Greater Dubuque
Development Corporation, have secured one-time Department of Health and Human
Services funding for childcare worker wage enhancement. The grant -funded program
provides wage increases for childcare providers during the timeframe of the grant.
For this program, getting a qualifying application submitted and accepted was challenging
due to the tight timeline for application and the need for a local match from employers.
To that end, in order to show the local employer match in time, Greater Dubuque
Development committed $280,000 which has leveraged $560,000 of the state funds.
Greater Dubuque Development has been approaching local employers who have already
contributed $180,000 to support the program. Employers are also considering a longer -
term commitment to sustain the program after the grant period ends (October 2024).
Dubuque Initiatives (DI) and Childcare Resource & Referral (CCRR) are partnering on
the implementation of the program. DI convened a meeting to provide information to local
childcare providers about the program. CCRR is administering the program. In order to
be eligible for the program, childcare providers must be licensed and accept state
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Childcare Assistance funds as well as be able to show the program will be sustainable
once the grant funds are no longer available. Those funds can be used to increase
wages, provide annual training bonuses, and enhance recruitment efforts by offering a
$1,000 bonus/stipend to new childcare workers to expand capacity.
Although this is one-time money, it is a viable short-term option while continuing to search
for longer term solutions.
Bright Minds Campus
Dubuque Initiatives has spearheaded the creation of a new childcare facility by
purchasing and funding the buildout of 7900 Chavenelle Road. The Dubuque Community
School District, Dubuque Community Y, Dubuque County, and the City of Dubuque have
all committed to become tenants of portions of the building. The facility in its entirety is
named the Bright Minds Campus. The Dubuque Community Y opened its doors for
childcare on January 8, 2024.
Continued Learning
The local coalition invited Laurie Nash (Johnson County Social Services) to its January
23, 2024 meeting to learn more about their wage enhancement program. The program
in Johnson County has similar eligibility requirements as Dubuque, with the addition of
requiring recipients to be IQ4K certified (Iowa Quality for Kids is Iowa's new quality rating
and improvement system for childcare providers). Dubuque is considering this
requirement (or preference) for future rounds of funding.
Legislative Outlook
• Iowa's state legislature has taken up the discussion of possible changes to the
AEA programs across the state. Discussion in our recent meeting brought to light
that any AEA changes will affect childcare centers and homes.
• The increase in minimum wages for K-12 teachers will likely affect the ability to
retain childcare workers.
• Currently full-time (32 hours/week) childcare workers are eligible for state childcare
assistance for their own children who are enrolled in a state licensed childcare
center/home. This pilot program is expected to be evaluated this year.
BENEFITS OF OUR COLLABORATION
We have found our monthly meetings helpful for hearing from our partners in the field
about new developments, and for having a forum for elevating new challenges and
opportunities that we identify during the course of our work.
RECOMMENDATION/ ACTION STEP
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This memo is for informational purposes, and I respectfully request the City Council
continues to recognize and prioritize childcare as a community need in the coming years.
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