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CREC adopts higher child-care caseload estimate; state staff project growing demand and increased general-fund costs in 2026

3413804 ยท May 16, 2025
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Summary

Principals adopted revised Child Development and Care caseload and cost estimates showing a 14% case increase in 2025 and additional general-fund exposure in 2026, after federal funding phases.

State staff presented updated estimates for the Child Development and Care (CDC) caseloads and costs at the CREC on May 20; principals adopted the projections by voice vote.

"Current law for childcare is $499,000,000," Joel Durr of the State Budget Office said, presenting staff estimates that project a roughly 14 percent increase in cases to about 26,800 in 2025 with a 12.6 percent increase in cost per case. "We're at $511,000,000 in 2025, which is about a $12,300,000 increase," Durr said.

Staff told the principals that the 2025 increase is fully funded with federal dollars but that the 2026 estimate (projected caseload about 29,400) would require additional state general-fund investment: roughly $30 million of the projected $44 million increase in 2026 would be general fund, staff said.

CREC principals made and seconded a motion and approved the caseload and cost estimates by voice vote. The adopted figures will be incorporated into the executive budget and legislative work on department appropriations.