Oklahoma children outnumber the spots available in licensed child care facilities, and rural counties are feeling the burden of uneven access.
A report conducted by Oklahoma State University and a women’s policy nonprofit highlights barriers to increasing the number of facilities in the state, which include "burdensome" licensing requirements and the need for increased financial support.
The report, released Tuesday, was commissioned by United WE, which works to advance women’s economic and civic leadership through research, policy solutions and civic engagement. United WE connected with OSU’s School of Business and College of Education and Human Sciences.
Researchers worked to determine licensure requirements for child care facilities and in-home daycares in Oklahoma by county and municipality, observe barriers within the data they collected and describe the experiences of individuals applying for licensure.
As of October 2023, there were 3,102 licensed facilities across Oklahoma’s counties, ranging from zero in Cimarron County to 839 in Oklahoma County. Fifty percent of all counties have more than two children between ages zero and five per available licensed child care slot.
On average, that looked like 3.5 children per slot — but, counties varied significantly, reaching up to 19.67 children per available slot in Beaver County. Only Murray County had enough licensed facilities to outpace the potential demand for child care.
Accessing that care is expensive for families, who paid an annual average of $11,582 per child in 2023, according to national data. That’s 10% of a married couple’s median household income and 32% of a single parent’s median household income.
“Child care is a crisis that keeps women and their families from advancing economically — and especially in Oklahoma,” said United WE president and CEO Wendy Doyle. “Additionally, child care providers are struggling to stay open, meet state and federal licensing requirements and pay a living wage.”
Doyle said through conversations with Oklahoma child care licensees, the report found licensing requirements from Oklahoma Human Services (DHS) were burdensome and required a significant amount of paperwork. Licensees noted staff turnover in the department has resulted in licensing delays, and communications between parties could be clearer and more accessible.
The report provides the example of one provider in northeast Oklahoma — listed under the pseudonym of Emilia — who told researchers her paperwork was lost by DHS, and her licensing was delayed by about a year.
“While Emilia demonstrated remarkable perseverance and determination to successfully receive her license, we can only wonder how many ‘Emilia’s’ gave up when faced with similar challenges,” the report reads. “Though her story seems extreme, the difficulties Emilia faced were shared by many other participants: inexperienced DHS staff, high staff turnover, poor communication, delays, and an overall lack of process ownership.”
The report also found many municipalities have different zoning requirements and ask facilities to obtain an additional annual professional license. OSU researcher Adrienne Redmond-Sanogo said requirement data for different municipalities was difficult to obtain, and the cost and process for applying for another license could be another barrier.
Although Doyle said the health and safety of Oklahoma’s children remain at the forefront for United WE, there are ways Oklahoma could operate more efficiently. The report offers the following solutions:
- Increase child care capacity: Initiate efforts like grants, low-interest loans or tax incentives to incentivize the establishment of new facilities, particularly in underserved rural areas.
- Enhance DHS workforce stability: Work on reducing DHS staff turnover and improve working conditions.
- Streamline licensing process: Develop a comprehensive guide for licensees that is more transparent and manageable. This could also include a coaching or mentorship program to help providers navigate licensure.
- Improve communication and support: Establish a support center in DHS to address licensees’ questions.
- Ongoing financial support and incentives: Continue and expand grant programs to support child care providers.
Rep. Suzanne Schreiber (D-Tulsa), who has introduced legislation to address child care challenges, said this isn’t a partisan issue — it is an investment in Oklahoma’s economy and families.
“Child care is a big, complicated issue. It's a very tightly woven basket, and you pull on strings, and they touch on one another, and it's hard to unwind,” Schreiber said. “But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't look at the whole basket, because it's what takes care of everyone.”
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