MADISON, Wis. (Gray) – A pandemic-era program that has provided $110 million to Wisconsin childcare providers expires June 30, and a quarter of the state’s childcare centers say they may not survive without it.
The Wisconsin Bridge Payment Program was created to cover the gap between what childcare facilities cost to run and what parents can afford to pay.
According to a report from the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, more than 75% of providers surveyed say they plan to raise rates in response to the program’s end.
The Playing Field, a childcare center in Madison that serves children from six weeks old through kindergarten-entry, is among the providers now reassessing its finances. Executive Director Abbi Kruse said roughly 80% of the center’s revenue goes directly to staff salaries and benefits…