Child Care Aware Virginia asked the joint budget committees to reject proposed budget language that would bar new enrollments of school‑age children in the state child care subsidy program beginning July 1, 2025.

The Nut Graf: Grace Reeve, speaking for Child Care Aware, said the governor’s proposal (Item 126.10, child care subsidy, item 6) would freeze intake for school‑age children, leaving families scrambling for summer care and disproportionately penalizing families who need childcare to work. She urged appropriation to clear the subsidy waiting list for all eligible children.

Reeve described Virginia’s current two‑tiered eligibility system: families with children under age 5 may qualify at much higher income thresholds than families with only school‑age children. She said roughly 13,000 children were on subsidy waiting lists when state funds ran out and that about 30% of those children are school‑age. Reeve called a freeze on school‑age intake “unfair policy” and warned it would particularly harm families during the summer when school‑age care is most needed.

What lawmakers heard: Testimony requested that the committee appropriate funds to clear subsidy waiting lists statewide and review the two‑tiered eligibility system to avoid cliff effects for school‑age families. No committee action was recorded at the hearing.

Ending: The witness asked legislators to fund subsidy slots for school‑age children and to adopt a fairer eligibility approach rather than implementing a July 1 freeze.