Conduit Street Podcast

From the halls of the State House to the heart of county government, the Conduit Street Podcast breaks down the decisions shaping Marylanders’ daily lives. Produced by the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo), this weekly podcast offers smart, accessible insights on the latest state and local policy — with counties always at the center.

Explore how legislation, executive actions, and agency decisions affect essential public services like education, infrastructure, public safety, health, and other core functions that matter most to Maryland residents. With special guests from across the state and the occasional world-famous dad joke, Conduit Street keeps you informed, engaged, and ready for what’s next.

Whether you’re a policymaker, a public servant, or just policy-curious, this is your front-row seat to Maryland’s political landscape.

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Conduit Street Podcast

"Child Care Cliff" Looms Large

July 14, 2023 • Maryland Association of Counties • Season 1 • Episode 243

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Brianna January joins Kevin Kinnally to explain why child care across the country could soon become more expensive and more difficult to find -- and why some advocates are concerned that Maryland's pre-k expansion plan could unintentionally add fuel to the fire.

In 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which included billions in grants to stabilize the child care system. Now the money --- which went to helping child care providers pay for rent, lowering tuition rates for families, and increasing wages for industry workers -- is about to run out.

Absent these grats, some experts predict one-third of the child care facilities that receive the funding will close, costing the US economy more than $10 billion per year and costing families $9 billion annually in lost earnings. On top of that, Maryland faces a different set of challenges with the expansion of public pre-k programs across the state.

The Blueprint for Maryland's Future ("The Blueprint") prioritizes early childhood education as its first pillar, including the gradual but eventual universal access to prekindergarten for 3- and 4-year-old children. One potential consequence causing concern for many stakeholders is the impact of pre-K expansion on the child care industry.

The Blueprint envisions a collaborative system of public-private partnerships for expanded pre-K. With more 3- and 4-year-olds moving on from child care facilities to pre-K — and with child care facilities entering the pre-K arena to help meet Blueprint goals — some stakeholders are concerned that there might not be enough providers (or seats) for natal-3-year-old child care.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: The Looming “Child Care Cliff” – Is Maryland Close to the Edge?

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