Nashville child care centers need public funding, research shows

Friction point: Metro allocated $5.3 million in COVID relief funds to 12 child care centers in 2022. The money dried up in December, after helping the centers make ends meet for over two years.

• The 12 centers used the money to add seats for more children, raise teacher pay and improve curriculum, among other investments.
• The centers can't cover the "true cost" of care without sustained public funding, according to the research.

Flashback: The Nashville Early Education Coalition launched last year to bring together state and Metro leaders, nonprofits and other stakeholders to address the city's early childhood education problem.

What she's saying: "While K-12 public education relies on state, local, and federal funding, early childhood education serving birth to three does not have comparable sustained public funding," United Way of Greater Nashville president and CEO Erica Mitchell said in a press release.