As budget cuts swept the nation like a hurricane, the campus daycare was no exception to the economic turmoil.
The Milgard Child Development Center (MCDC) had to let go of part-time employees to avoid going over budget once again. Last year, MCDC went over their budget for part-time staff by $45,000.
With the decrease in part-time staff, fewer parents were able to enroll their children at Milgard.
By state law, daycare centers had to abide by the provider/child ratio requirements. Parents still on the waiting list, had two options: take online classes or not go to school this quarter.
“Major cuts had to be made. We looked at how many children were enrolled for each quarter, the hours of attendance of children, and the part-time staff hours”, Dede Reaves, program assistant at MCDC said.
“Without having enough teachers to help support the classrooms, I cannot bring in as many children,” Reaves added.
According to the Pierce website, the average age of students attending the Ft. Steilacoom and Puyallup campuses were about 29-year-old. With a wide spectrum of ages, some of the students were parents going to school to improve their financial situations.
“The majority of our families who have their children enrolled here were going back to school to survive,” Reaves said.
“Most parents tell me if they could not get childcare or money from financial aid, then there was no way they could have gone back to school,” Reaves added.
Families were once able to use funding from the Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to provide daycare cost assistance for parents working part-time. However, the DSHS program has been cut and parents must rely on financial aid or other outlets to pay for daycare expenses.
Reaves wants the college to embrace the child development center, instead of it being a waste in funding. The two-child development centers from the Ft. Steilacoom and Puyallup campuses grossed $1.5 million last year from the daycare costs parents paid and state funding.
Some part-time staff at Milgard hoped the budget cuts would end so they could feel at ease knowing their jobs were secure.
“I’ve enjoyed my job for the past three years. I’m working at Milgard because of the experience I get with children. I love being able to interact with the kids,” Brunilda Lleras, part-time teaching assistant said.
“I do worry about my job because of my age. I can not see myself working anywhere else,” Lleras added.
Budget cuts not only affected the child development center, but the entire college system.
“We had to make adjustments, just as most departments at Pierce College had to,” Michael Koetje, district director of child development programs said.
“Full-time and part-time staff had to alter their planning and combined classes in the morning and afternoon. It was sad to see one of the rooms empty because of the lack of enrollment due to budget cuts,” Koetje added.
Milgard in Ft. Steilacoom has the same level funding from student programs that it has had since it opened in April of 2007. The Milgard in Puyallup lost some of their funding to other programs this year.
University of Washington Tacoma (UWT) and other colleges may open up child development centers to allow parents to go to school. Some parents on campus are grateful for having a center to watch their children, while they pursue a degree.
“Everyone at Milgard has been gracious and accommodating to my family and I. My daughter is getting a head start in her educational development for the rest of her life. Most children that go to preschool will go on to college,” Rachel Bryant, student and parent said.
“I would rather take classes on campus instead of online courses. I need structure to focus in school. I sometimes need time for myself,” Bryant added.
The child development centers are a recruitment and retention tool for people with kids. Milgard in Ft. Steilacoom is part of the National Accreditation Commission for Early Childcare and Education Programs.
For more information about the Milgard Child Development Centers, go to the website: http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/studentlife/childcare/, or contact Dede Reaves at 253-912-3680.