By Paris Rain, FOX23.com News Staff
TULSA, Okla. — An urgent meeting was held Tuesday night for families at Legacy Childhood Education in Broken Arrow as providers across Oklahoma brace for additional state child care funding cuts expected in April and July.
Mac McCrory, co-owner of Legacy Childhood Education, said the meeting is meant to help families understand the impact of cuts already enacted by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services and those still to come.
“[The] next meeting here at our Broken Arrow location is for our families, our parents, to go over the impacts of some of the cuts the DHS has already enacted as well as expected impacts from cuts that are yet to come in April and July,” McCrory said. “You know, we’ve been talking to you guys about it since late October. And the times kind of come to figure out how we’re going to navigate forward. Providers across the state are trying to figure out how to adjust these cuts just to keep their doors open.”
McCrory said providers have already seen widespread closures.
“We’ve already lost over 400 programs since November,” McCrory said. “It was inevitable that unless these cuts were reversed, that there were going to be serious disruptions to childcare services across the state.”
He said Legacy is considering several cost-cutting measures to remain open.
“We are considering multiple options in terms of reducing expenses to keep our doors open so that we can continue to serve as many families as possible,” McCrory said. “So that’s what this meeting tonight is about. It’s a chance for our families and our parents to participate in that decision making process because of some of the decisions. Things that we’re going to have to make are going to be difficult decisions and we want their opinion on it.”
McCrory described uncertainty across the child care industry as providers prepare for reduced funding and eligibility changes.
“There is a tremendous amount of uncertainty in the industry. Umm, knowing what’s coming down the Pike in terms of funding cuts, umm, and reduced eligibility for families, that is going to cause a lot of disruption, uh, in terms of the number of families that the providers across the state are able to serve, umm, with multiple locations,” McCrory said. “You know, we’ll look at all of our programs holistically and kind of decide what makes the most sense moving forward and try to remain consistent across all three of our programs so we’re not.”
He said changes at Legacy are likely.
“There will undoubtedly be some changes, and they will not be popular changes,” McCrory said. “I mean, like I said, we’ve got to make some tough decisions to remain viable. So, we want to be upfront and honest with our families as to what’s coming and for some of them who maybe haven’t got the full grasp of what’s happening at the state level. We hope that this might be eye opening for them if they haven’t reached out to their legislature yet to say, hey, we need you to fully fund childcare.”
McCrory said he hopes conversations about the real-world effects of the cuts will encourage families to contact lawmakers.
“Maybe having an honest, upfront conversation about the real impacts of these cuts and how it’s going to impact them and their care specifically. Maybe that motivates them to pick up the phone and call their legislator and say, hey, we really need this funding,” McCrory said.
Among the options under consideration are reducing hours, capping the number of state-subsidy families served, and adjusting tuition rates.
“We have several on the table and nothing set in stone yet,” McCrory said. “We are looking at potentially reducing our hours of operation. Umm, we are looking at having to reduce and cap the number of subsidies, state subsidy families that were able to enroll and serve.”
He said private-pay families and tribal subsidy families are less affected for now, but those receiving state child care subsidies face the greatest impact.
“We have looked into some new custom tuition rates for our subsidy families that may be losing their benefits, their eligibility in the summer,” McCrory said. “Just to try and find out, you know, what is the bare minimum that that we can take in and still survive while providing them an opportunity to stay in care so they can continue to work and participate in Oklahoma’s economy.”
McCrory said other providers are considering raising private-pay rates instead of cutting hours to offset revenue losses.
“So, there’s a multitude of options on the table right now,” McCrory said. “Like I said, nothing is set in stone. We do want family input as we make these decisions, but we’re going to have to make some alterations somewhere in order to stay viable and keep our doors open.”
He said regardless of when decisions are finalized, the timeline for additional cuts is clear.
“Regardless of when we make our decision, uh, we know when the next round of cuts are coming and the next round of cuts are coming in April and then shortly after that it’ll be July unless the legislature takes action to restore adequate funding to childcare in Oklahoma,” McCrory said. “Umm, then we’re going to have to start planning long term and the sooner we can put these plans into action.”
McCrory said providers statewide are having similar conversations.
“Providers across the state are having the same conversations, umm, whether they’re having them with their families or whether they’re having them behind closed doors,” McCrory said. “Providers all around Oklahoma, especially those who provide care to families that utilize the subsidy program, are looking at changes they can make to their programs, umm, to keep their doors open. Because like I mentioned, we’ve already lost so many that have just closed.”
He said the alternative to adapting is closure.
“If you don’t make changes to adapt and to survive, then you risk closing altogether, and then you can’t help anybody,” McCrory said.
Parents say the impact would stretch beyond subsidy families.
Emily Bertoson, a parent and special education teacher, said changes to hours would directly affect her ability to work.
“So, I am a special education teacher, and it affects me as well because I have a toddler,” Bertoson said. “If they cut hours, well, I have my contract time where I have to be there. And if they cut them, I still can’t make it there in time. It’s hard enough now and they even open earlier. So, it affects us. And I’m, I’m on the private pay side, but it’s going to affect the whole range of us even if my kids aren’t getting cut and out of the program. It still affects what I do with my kids and then I have a kid that’s in pre-K and she’s before and after care like I still. I need that there so I can do my job even as a public school teacher.”
She said child care programs provide a strong educational foundation and worries about long-term effects if services are reduced.
“Firm foundation and like kids go in prepared to school, but if that’s cut and they’re at some aunt’s house on the back road not safe, they’re not getting education, so we’re going to see the side effects of the kids aren’t coming with knowledge,” said Bertoson. “They know they don’t have those school readiness skills that they’re gaining here at Legacy. They’re going to be even further lost when they get into public schools. So, it affects the private paid parents as well if hours are cut and then it affects the private pay parents as well and it affects where I put my kid as well.”
Bertoson said finding quality child care has already been difficult.
“My first kid was a pandemic era baby. I knew I needed childcare and it was hard enough finding a suitable safe place even back then and then now, five years down the road, 6 or 2026, uh, I mean, I still want a quality education. It’s scary to think programs are gonna suffer even more, and kids are just going to struggle,” Bertoson said.
She said lawmakers need to understand that child care funding affects all families.
“They need to know that. Even parents that are in certain jobs, whether we take subsidies or not like it, affect us as well because if we don’t have a child care place to put our kids when they’re young, like public schools don’t take kids till they’re 5. I mean, where would I put my toddler? Where would they go if these programs have to shut down? Where? It’s affecting the ones who need financial help, plus affecting the ones that I just need a quality place to put my kids because these programs are going to suffer, Whitney Mack said. Like, if they go bare bones, their curriculum is going to suffer too, and I love their curriculum.”
She added that even two-income households would feel the strain.
“All parents I mean yes I am a household with two 2 incomes, 2 parents like I have my husband with me but it still affects us cause he can’t take off and watch my kid all day long and I need to be in the classroom cause we,” Bertoson said.
The next round of childcare funding cuts is scheduled for April, with additional reductions expected in July unless state lawmakers restore funding.
