Why More School Districts Are Offering Teachers Childcare

An interesting shift is taking place in many school districts around the country. More districts have taken steps to offer childcare to teachers to ensure they do not leave their positions. Childcare is something that is so important to new parents, and many cannot afford to balance their job while maintaining childcare payments. It is what results in so many young mothers taking an extended break from the workforce – until their child is old enough to go to school. But school districts do not want to permanently lose teachers when they have a child, and they do not want to lose out on teachers with small children either.

Helps School Districts

Many see this move as being advantageous for teachers, but it is also beneficial for school districts. The reality is that finding great teachers is not easy. It is hard enough to manage the staffing for the year, but when you have top teachers leaving because they are giving birth, or they have a young child, it can become quite problematic. It means having to re-train new teachers and hoping they will fit in with the school environment. Now school districts can keep their best teachers, even if they have small kids.

And being able to say that childcare will be available to teachers as part of their compensation is a big pull for school districts. If a teacher is deciding between two or three districts in the same area, they would definitely choose the one where childcare was free and provided by the school. It would take a massive weight off their shoulders, even if they do not have kids right now. Even those who are single or recently married may be thinking about a future where they have kids, and knowing they work at a job where childcare will be provided is a massive reason to choose that role.

Boost for Teachers

There is no doubt that such moves are a massive win for teachers. Instead of having to spend thousands of dollars on childcare every few months, or having to leave their profession, teachers have a place where their kids can stay during the daytime. And since most of these childcare facilities are run by the school district and operated by qualified educators, the level of attention the kids receive is excellent.

It would be one thing if the childcare programs were below par. Teachers may not find them sufficient for their children. But these programs are often better than private childcare centers because they are run and managed by educators who know all about handling young children and educating them!

Another perk of these childcare centers is they are only open when school is in session. When teachers have a few weeks off, the daycare center is closed. That means there are no obligations to keep kids in daycare even when the mother has time off. The scheduling works perfectly for teachers, as they can just drop off their kids at daycare as they are about to head to work.