Chants echoed through the marble halls of the Minnesota State Capitol as dozens of early childhood educators, parents and advocates gathered for the “Protect Our Kids” rally. Their message was unified and urgent: Minnesota must invest in the children who aren’t yet in kindergarten and the providers who care for them.
“Child care should be fully funded, just like the school systems are getting funded,” said Monique Stumon, owner and director of School Readiness Learning Academy in North Minneapolis. “We are the bridge that gets the kids started into education.”
Held amid legislative budget debates, the rally drew attention to the widening gap in early childhood education funding and access. Organizers, including providers from programs like CCAP (Child Care Assistance Program), Head Start, and community-based centers, called for state lawmakers to increase investments in early learning, especially for low-income families and children of color.
While K–12 schools often take center stage in budget negotiations, providers at the rally emphasized that education starts long before the first day of kindergarten.
“We’re the ones teaching them their names, letters and alphabets before they get to school,” Stumon said. “We teach social skills, science — we do all of that. Yet we are undervalued and under-respected. It’s time for a change.”
Research consistently backs her point. According to the National Education Association, children who attend high-quality preschool programs are more likely to graduate high school, attend college, and earn higher incomes. Yet despite the evidence, access remains uneven.
In Minnesota, nearly 31% of children under age five live in child care “deserts” with limited or no access to licensed providers, according to data from Child Care Aware. Costs have skyrocketed as well: the average cost of center-based infant care in the state hovers around $16,000 per year — more than in-state tuition at the University of Minnesota.
For many families, that cost is prohibitive. For child care entrepreneurs like Lashonda Flowers, owner of Beautiful Beginnings Learning Center in Minneapolis, it’s also deeply personal.
“As a single parent, I needed child care and wasn’t making enough to afford those big day care prices,” she said. “But I also didn’t qualify for assistance. It was very difficult.”
That experience inspired her to open a center of her own, one that prioritizes affordability and equity.
“I wanted to make sure that quality day care does not mean families have to spend a crazy amount every week,” Flowers said.
A central demand from rally attendees was a commitment to capping family contributions for child care at no more than 7% of household income. That benchmark aligns with federal recommendations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, but it’s far from reality in Minnesota. Families often spend 20% or more of their income on care — or go without.
“Child care should not be a luxury,” Stumon said. “No family should have to decide between working and being able to afford care for their child.”
Advocates also pushed back on partisan rhetoric accusing providers of misusing state funds. CCAP, in particular, has been targeted by Republican lawmakers over unsubstantiated claims of fraud. Stumon defended the program’s integrity.
“I’ve been using CCAP since 2009. I have not had any issues,” she said. “They keep pushing the grants, which we appreciate. But when you’re asking me to wait 60 to 90 days to be paid — come on. No one else waits that long to be paid for their job.”
The rally was about funding and rethinking how society values early learning. Both Stumon and Flowers shared how their centers offer exposure and enrichment opportunities often unavailable to children in marginalized communities.
“I have children that have never been to the beach before,” Stumon said. “We can show them pictures and talk about the sand, but to experience it? That’s a whole different level of learning.”
She described planning outings to apple orchards and farms so children can see animals and agriculture up close. “If they’re at home, they’re probably not going to be learning those things,” she said.
Flowers echoed that sentiment. “Just making sure our children have access to quality care — especially kids of color — means everything,” she said. “If they cut child care funding, families won’t be able to afford it. And if they can’t afford care, they can’t work. Then they can’t afford rent. It’s a domino effect.”
While many of the educators in attendance align with progressive child care policies, they emphasized the need for bipartisan solutions.
“It can’t just be Democrats. It has to be both sides,” said Stumon. “We all need child care — for the economy, for our children, for our future.”
A 2023 report from the Minnesota Budget Project highlighted that early care and education investments yield up to $7 for every $1 spent, primarily by reducing future spending on remedial education, social services, and incarceration. Yet, the sector remains underfunded and overstretched.
As budget negotiations continue at the Capitol, advocates are urging lawmakers to act with urgency. Groups like Kids Count On Us are helping providers like Flowers better understand state licensing policies and how to effectively lobby for change.
“They help us know how to stand up for what we believe in,” Flowers said. “It’s not just about the government, it’s about what makes sense for everybody.”
For many providers, the fight for funding is personal. Stumon, who has worked in early education since 2009, said her own children’s experiences reflect the disparity in early childhood access.
“My son stayed home with my grandmother while I worked. My daughter went to a preschool program,” she said. “Their educational backgrounds are vastly different. That’s why I started my own center — to give every child, especially children of color, a better start.”
Lawmakers have not yet finalized education-related funding allocations, but with the legislative session drawing to a close, advocates say now is the time for bold investments.
“We flooded the Capitol chanting that we want child care fully funded,” Stumon said. “We’re not going to stop until it is.”
As Flowers put it simply: “We’re standing for something necessary — for our families, for our kids. They’re worth it.”
