Mason’s NCSL Working Group Addresses Childcare Affordability and Accessibility in New Report

GURNEE, Ill. — State Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, confronts nationwide childcare quality, accessibility and affordability issues in a new report from the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) Childcare Policy Working Group.

“On average, a year of childcare costs more than a year of in-state tuition at a public university. It’s unacceptable,” said Mason. “This isn’t an Illinois issue; this is a national issue. Parents and young families across the country are struggling to make ends meet. They should not have to choose between caring for their child and going to work.”

In 2025, NCSL formed a bipartisan working group of 13 legislators from across the country that have knowledge and experience in child care and early childhood. The primary goal of the group is to establish a child care policy guide that can be applied to all states, turning childcare from an expensive luxury into an affordable right. Additionally, the working group recognizes the economic issue for employers in the child care industry and seeks to make improvements to the system.

Less than a year later, the working group is publishing a new report titled “Childcare at a Crossroads: A State Legislative Framework for Strengthening Childcare Systems.” This report will outline 29 specific policy strategies for legislators to use to improve childcare systems in their respective states. 

“Our children are our future. It’s our responsibility to make sure they have a stable foundation, as well as space to grow and learn. And we need to be able to provide that without detriment to the hard-working families across Illinois and every other state. I’m extremely proud of what we have accomplished in this working group, and I look forward to seeing how our work will benefit children and families nationwide,” said Mason.

The NCSL Childcare Policy Working Group report will be officially introduced at the NCSL conference during the Legislative Summit session “Childcare at a Crossroads” on Monday, July 27, at 1:15 p.m. A livestream will be available at ncsl.org/summit/livestreams.