Sustainable Solutions for Transforming Child Care in South Dakota
The South Dakota Child Care Task Force released a report on Jan. 10, 2025, that takes an in-depth look at the current state of early childhood education and care in South Dakota. The report provides critical insights into the landscape and challenges that children, families, employers and educators across the state currently face.
The report, titled "Sustainable Solutions for Transforming Child Care in South Dakota," compiles data from national and state data sources, including surveys and expert interviews, to assess the strengths and gaps in South Dakota’s current early childhood infrastructure. The comprehensive study examines key issues such as access to high-quality child care, affordability, and workforce development and proposes policy considerations on early childhood initiatives.
The South Dakota Child Care Task Force and The Hunt Institute, which facilitated the task force and wrote the report, held a release event that explored the findings in detail and invited the nearly 200 registered participants an opportunity to ask further questions. A recording of the webinar and a copy of the full report are available on the Early Learner South Dakota website and the Center for Prevention of Child Maltreatment website.
The statewide South Dakota Child Care Task Force is excited to announce its work will continue for another four years. The upcoming year will focus on Out-of-School Time Care.
Throughout 2024, the South Dakota Child Care Task Force convened four times, discussing the early childhood landscape in South Dakota and seeking sustainable solutions. The Hunt Institute, a trusted partner of the Task Force, helped convene these meetings as well as develop the report. This report is designed to lay the groundwork for stakeholders in South Dakota to develop effective solutions to the lingering child care deficit in the state.
For more information, contact Kayla Klein at 605-430-9396 or [email protected].
About the South Dakota Child Care Task Force
The South Dakota Child Care Task Force was launched in 2023, convening state stakeholders including policymakers, early childhood experts, and representatives from child care centers, Family Child Care homes, philanthropy, and higher education. The Task Force was developed to explore and recommend practical and sustainable solutions to the state’s childcare crisis that are aligned with the state’s economic and cultural landscape.
About The Hunt Institute
The Hunt Institute, an affiliate of the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, is a recognized leader in the movement to transform public education. Marshaling expertise from a nationwide partner network since its establishment in 2001, The Institute brings together people and resources that help build and nurture visionary leadership and mobilize strategic action for greater educational outcomes and student success. For more information, please visit hunt-institute.org.
