Mason’s NCSL Working Group Addresses Nationwide 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 Legislatures (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. Less than a year later, the working group published a new report titled “Childcare at a Crossroads: A State Legislative Framework for Strengthening Childcare Systems,” outlining 29 specific policy strategies for legislators to use to improve childcare systems in their respective states.

The report identifies seven broad recommendations for state policymakers:

1. Expand access and availability,
2. Address affordability for families,
3. Invest in the childcare workforce,
4. Modernize licensing and quality rating systems,
5. Strengthen small childcare businesses,
6. Fund childcare for the future,
7. Elevate state early childhood governance and leadership.

Rather than recommending a one-size-fits-all solution, the report highlights strategies and legislative examples from all 50 states, allowing each state to determine the policies that best meet its needs.

“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 was officially introduced at an NCSL legislative summit. The full report is available here: https://www.ncsl.org/human- services/childcare-at-a-crossroads-a-state-legislative-framework-for-strengthening-childcare-systems

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