The push for more, better Arizona preschool and childcare programs

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) – You may have heard about people camping overnight for sporting events or concerts. But dozens of people in Gilbert braved the cold temperatures overnight to reserve a spot in a preschool.

TotSpot Preschool said they had almost 90 registrations on day one today of their three registration days this month. This line of people wrapping around the building actually isn’t anything new. Some teachers even came down to the school on their own around midnight to bring snacks and hot chocolate to parents in the cold. But the line shows how far Arizonans are willing to go to get quality care for their young children.

“They [kids] came home excited that they were here,” first-in-line Steven Heyd said. “They have a great time in the community. And all the people that we’ve met have been incredible.”

Heyd’s middle child came to TotSpot Gilbert a few years ago and loved it. So, for him and his wife, trading shifts overnight was well worth it to make sure his youngest child got that same opportunity. “We just figure one night of pain for all year we get to have the fun,” he said. “We get to have the class we want.”

Heyd camped outside for one night to get his top teacher and preschool choice. But Arizona Early Childhood Education Association executive director Barbie Prinster says not every Arizona family is as lucky in terms of options and being able to pay for childcare services. “Childcare is expensive,” Prinster said. “It’s pretty much the same cost as tuition at ASU or the University of Arizona for one year.”

Prinster says Arizona’s ongoing teacher shortage and low teacher salaries have impacted the state’s quality and quantity of preschool resources, leading to waitlists for highly-rated schools.

“We end up with places in Arizona that we call childcare deserts where there are just not enough slots versus the number of children that live in that specific area,” she said.

Moving forward, Prinster says additional federal and state funding is needed to add more quality preschools and prevent long waitlists. “Parents can’t go to work without high-quality child care,” Prinster said. “And we want their kids to be safe and in a high-quality learning environment.”

Eligible Arizonans can visit the Child Care Resource and Referral website for state assistance for child care assistance resources.

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