As governor, Sara Rodriguez will make child care affordable and accessible for Wisconsin’s working families.

Child care in Wisconsin is broken and working families are paying the price. The monthly bill for child care now exceeds what most families pay in rent or a mortgage. Workers are forced out of the labor force, grandparents are drafted into caregiving they didn’t plan for, businesses can’t hire, and children are locked out of the early learning that shapes everything that comes after. For too many families, child care has become the breaking point.

For decades, Wisconsin has treated child care like a personal problem instead of essential economic infrastructure. Families are left to patch together care, providers are underpaid and burning out, and communities are losing access to care altogether. We can support working parents, strengthen our workforce, and give kids a strong start. Sara Rodriguez will.

As governor, Sara Rodriguez will.

1. Guarantee Affordable Child Care for Working Families

• Sara will establish a universal child care guarantee so families pay no more than 7% of their income for care – the nationally recognized affordability benchmark.

• The state will cover the remaining cost through child care affordability grants.

• This ensures child care prices are predictable, manageable, and fair for families at every income level.
  

2.  Give Families Real Choices That Fit Their Needs

• Sara will support a mixed-delivery system that includes center-based care, home-based providers, faith-based programs, and communities models.

• This ensures families can choose care that fits their schedules, values, and needs.
  

3. Raise Wages and Support the Child Care Workforce

• Sara will ensure providers receiving state support will pay at least $18/hour, with clear pathways to higher wages and training.

• Early educators have been underpaid for decades while being asked to do one of the most important jobs in a child’s life. Wisconsin will start treating them like it.
  

4. Expand Access to Child Care for Working Families, Especially in Care Deserts

• Sara will launch a low-interest loan and grant program to help providers expand, renovate, or open new facilities.

• This program will prioritize rural communities and neighborhoods designated as child care deserts, where supply is most limited.
  

5. Build a Long-Term Funding Model

• Sara will work with the legislature to establish reliable, long-term funding for child care – including dedicated revenue streams, trust funds, tax reforms, and public-private partnerships with business owners.

• Stability ensures providers can plan, families can rely on care, and communities don’t lose access overnight.