What We’ve Already Won

For over a decade, we have pushed for changes to improve California’s child care system for providers and the children and families we serve. Our victories to date prove that by uniting we can build a strong movement for change. By building on our successes and uniting all providers we can secure lasting changes through collective bargaining and ensure that California creates and funds the system that we all need. In fact, over the years family child care providers in California have won:

Rate Increases for Family Child Care

Since 2014, we’ve raised the Regional Market Rate (RMR) over 20% through community organizing and advocacy work in Sacramento.

  • 2014-15: Increased the regional market rate (RMR) by 9%.
  • 2015-16: Increased RMR 4.5% above the current rate for licensed family child care, license-exempt provider rates increased from 60% to 65% of the family child care home rate.
  • 2016-17: Increased RMR to the 75th percentile of the 2014 market survey as of January 1, 2017. License-exempt providers saw an increase from 65% to 70% of the family child care home rate.
  • 2017-18: Increased RMR to the 75th percentile of the 2016 market survey.

Improved Payment Delivery

In 2017, we passed AB 603. This bill gave providers access to direct deposit, and required APs to notify us if a child in our care lost eligibility or hours, and state on our checks what we were being paid for—time-saving fixes that allow us to focus on creating the best early childhood education possible for the children in our care.

Increased Access for Families

In 2018, we helped increase the number of AP slots. We also increased the number of families (over 7,000 additional families) who have access to quality child care and higher family income eligibility levels.

A Voice in the Early Care and Education World

With our provider power, we have won a seat to voice our concerns with the child card system with the State of California through:

  • Quarterly meetings with the California Department of Education (CDE) Early Learning and Care Division to address problems with AP program payments, policies & procedures that impact providers.
  • A seat on the Governor’s Statewide Advisory Council (SAC) on Early Childhood Education and Care to give input to the Governor on the challenges facing child care workers.   
  • A seat on the Speaker’s Blue Ribbon Commission. Since then, providers from across the state are participating in hearings across California, sharing our experiences and providing solutions for Governor Newsom on how to fix our broken child care system, including the need for the right to collectively bargain with the state.