WALKERTOWN, N.C. — North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper visited Church Child Care in Walkertown Thursday to highlight $805 million in N.C. Child Care Stabilization grants.
"This $805 million in grants that's going to go to these childcare centers that apply will allow them to pay their educators more or allow them to give them bonuses, allow them to have better equipment and this is going to make for better childcare," said Governor Cooper.
The North Carolina Early Education Coalition said the average pay for a North Carolina early education teacher is $10.50 per hour. Advocates have called for a raise in pay to help recruit and retain staff.
The stabilization grants were part of funding through the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act. Governor Cooper said that quality childcare leads to a better economy.
“We know that the Triad is a growing area and we have focused a lot of economic development here because the local governments and the business people really understand that the Triad is poised to take off," said Cooper. "But I’m here making people understand that they need to connect our economy and jobs with early childhood education and childcare.”
According to Cooper, childcare can often stand in the way of people getting back to work.
"In order for us to get the number of workers that we need in this workforce, we’ve got to have quality places for their children to get early education in safe places for them to be," said Cooper.
Triad childcare providers have told News 2 about the difficulties they have faced during the pandemic and after, saying they struggle to hire and retain qualified staff.
"(What would help) If there's more funding for teachers in childcare," said Margie Johnson, the owner of Johnson's Daycare, in September. "If they could help us put more incentives to allow teachers to come back to work in childcare."
On Thursday, Governor Cooper also threw his support behind President Biden's "Build Back Better" plan.
"It provides billions of dollars for pre-K and childcare and it guarantees that middle-class Americans and therefore North Carolinians would pay no more than 7 percent of their income for child care," said Cooper.
Cooper also said he supports universal pre-k, as laid out in Biden's plan.
"North Carolina has recognized for a while that it is quality childcare that matters and our four and five-star facilities are critically important," said Cooper. "I think this federal support will be really instrumental and so I’m hoping that they do come to an agreement in Washington as well as I hope we do here in North Carolina to provide the support”
You can access the grant application here.