Early Learner South Dakota unveils plan to ease child care crisis

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Early Learner South Dakota is launching a child care business collaborative; a think tank and vehicle to tackle the child care crisis in the state.

It is a partnership with the Bipartisan Policy Center and the United States Chamber of Commerce Foundation on a national level; along with South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Elevate Rapid City, The Greater Sioux Falls Area of Commerce, and the John T. Vucurevich Foundation.

ELSD will act as the facilitator, providing innovative solutions to the group, as well as bringing research from other states working on the child care crisis, according to a release from ELSD.

ELSD says there was a “significant impact to the child care workforce that it has yet to recover from.”

There will be a West River meeting for the South Dakota Business Collaborative from 1-3 p.m., Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, at The Journey Museum and Learning Center.

For more information and to register interest in joining this movement, visit: https://www.earlylearnersd.org/businesscollaborative