AR business coalition aims to make childcare more affordable for working parents

(Little Rock, KATV) — The Excel by Eight Business Coalition met today to discuss making high quality childcare more affordable for Arkansas parents in the workforce.

“The purpose is to more meaningfully engage the business community in the conversation around childcare. We know that childcare is such a challenge for families that are trying to enter the workforce, trying to enter the workforce, family members who are trying to enter the workforce or to stay in the workforce. So, we see this as a business-related issue and we want to bring the business community into the conversation,” Excel by Eight, Coalition Director Allison Williams

The coalition that relaunched last year, now has over 70 Arkansas businesses that have been working for the last 6 months to try to find solutions for parents looking for affordable high-quality childcare as they enter the workforce or try to stay in the workforce.

“50 percent tax credit for employees who contribute to their employer’s dependent care accounts. There are essentially HSA’s for childcare. A 50 percent tax credit for employers who guarantee spots in local facilities or facilities that are convenient to their employee base and permissive participation in the Arkansas teacher retirement system for these non-K-12 teachers who don’t have access to it today,” Williams said.

They have taken ideas from within the coalition, as well as outside sources, and are working on looking for data specific to Arkansas.

The ultimate goal is to focus on what will lead to the best form of success of both parents and children.

“We are so hopeful that we are going to see change in the 2025 legislative session. That has been almost our exclusive focus for the last year. How do we prepare for it? What are the strategies for making these ideas more successful? And that includes looking at: Where is the most likely committee in the legislature that this will go? Who are the sponsors that we want to see for this? All of that of course depends on having draft legislation and as I mentioned to our members today… We’re in the process of that,” Williams said.

Williams says data shows there is a great need for this change to be made in Arkansas, and that they are dedicated to growing and expanding their impact.

The coalition meets quarterly in different regions across the state to ensure the change for involvement in all demographics.

Their next meeting is expected to be held after new year.