Advocates demand Chicago prioritizes childcare in budget, making it accessible to all

CHICAGO (CBS) — With a growing crisis for many families with young children, advocates for childcare workers in Chicago said the building blocks are crumbling between low wages for teachers and high costs.

At City Hall, teachers, families, and administrators ask the city to do more. They want the city to prioritize childcare in the budget and make it accessible to all families.

"We aren't even living paycheck to paycheck. We are barely surviving."

For over 40 years, early education teacher Doris Milton said she has struggled to get by. But every time she has considered leaving the industry...

"It causes my heart to bleed, and I just can't do it because The kids need me," Milton said.

A report from the union representing more than 35,000 childcare teachers said Head Start teachers with a BA make an average of between $23.13 and 30.29 an hour, compared to CPS teachers, who can earn about $46 an hour on average.

The average hourly wage for childcare work in Illinois is $14.86 - less than $15.

"I'm unable to retain and attract new staff. When teachers see they can literally go across the street and make 30% more, I'm inclined to agree with them."

Lakisha McFadden is CEO of Centers For New Horizons . She recently made the difficult decision to close her childcare facility in Bronzeville due to staffing issues.

"Every teacher deserves a salary they can feed their own families with," McFadden said.

Childcare workers and advocates voiced their concerns before city leaders at a committee on education and child development hearing.

11:15:00—It's up to all of us to make it right for these kids

"For parents like me, childcare is unaffordable," said parent Coston Plummer.

For parents like Coston Plummer and his young kids, the cost of child care is simply out of reach.

"If child care was affordable I think that would lift a burden off a lot of parents," Plummer said.

The union representing childcare workers said the staff shortage leaves about 80,000 children in Chicago without access to licensed childcare.