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Bartlesville
Posted: Mar 12, 2025 2:00 AMUpdated: Mar 12, 2025 5:51 AM
New Early Childhood Education Support Fund Launched for Providers in Washington County
Tom Davis
In a community known for its strong support of education and educators, local leaders have come together to extend that enthusiasm to those who’ve dedicated their lives to educating our most vulnerable: young children. The newly established Early Childhood Education Support Fund is designed to provide critical support to childcare providers in Washington County.
This Fund, launched by the Bartlesville Community Foundation in collaboration with a dedicated committee of local leaders, was created in response to the City of Bartlesville’s strategic focus on addressing childcare needs in the area. Recent rule changes by Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OK DHS) have added additional challenges for an industry already under significant strain.
Tara Gotwalt, Chief Instruction Officer, Tri County Tech, remarked, “The rule changes from OK DHS are a significant shift for childcare providers, creating new challenges at a time when many are already stretched thin. Our goal with this fund is to provide tangible support to help providers meet these changes and continue delivering quality care.”
In Oklahoma, many of our communities are in zones qualified as “childcare deserts.” Although Washington County is not currently qualified as such, the demand for childcare far exceeds the available spots. According to a recent study conducted by OSU and United We, a nonprofit organization based out of Kansas City, there is one childcare spot for every 1.5 children currently in need of care in Washington County.
Sherri Wilt, President and CEO, Bartlesville Regional Chamber of Commerce said, “Quality childcare is not just a need – it’s an essential part of our workforce infrastructure. Without reliable childcare, parents and guardians are unable to fully engage in the workforce, which has a ripple effect across our entire community.”
One of the most significant effects of the OK DHS changes has the potential to impact half of local childcare providers which are currently ranked five-star quality (top tier). Now, under the rule changes, those five-star providers must achieve national accreditation through an approved accrediting organization to maintain this quality ranking – a process that is time-consuming and costly. This top tier ranking is important not only as a way to evaluate programs, but it qualifies providers for the highest level of subsidy reimbursement for families enrolled who meet the requirements for this support.
Jan Boomer, North Central Child Care Resource and Referral, added, “The accreditation process can be overwhelming, especially for smaller providers. This fund offers an invaluable resource to help them overcome any unexpected cost while maintaining the high standards of their program’s environments.”
Childcare providers in Washington County who are licensed and in good standing with OK DHS may apply for grants to help offset the cost of national accreditation. The application process and further details can be found on the Bartlesville Community Foundation’s website at www.bartlesvillecf.org/grants/ under the Early Childhood Education Support Fund section. The application will open Monday, March 17th and close Friday, April 18th.
The committee behind this fund includes Mike Bailey (City of Bartlesville), Jan Boomer (NCOK Child Care Resource and Referral), Lisa Cary (Bartlesville Regional United Way), Tara Gotwalt (Tri County Tech), Laura Jensen (Bartlesville Community Foundation), and Sherri Wilt (Bartlesville Regional Chamber of Commerce), with expert advisors Heather Pollock (Tri County Tech), Careese Hallett (Explorations Child Care), and Robert Phillips (Richard Kane YMCA).
Lisa Cary, President & CEO of the Bartlesville Regional United Way, stated, “Our community has been trying to find the best way to impact access to quality care for a very long time. I’m excited to start bringing support for our local providers through this fund.”
While the Bartlesville Community Foundation has provided seed funding for the Early Childhood Education Support Fund, it is actively seeking support from the community to ensure that the fund can continue to meet the growing needs of local childcare providers. Currently, there are no other funding sources like this in the region.
Laura Jensen, Executive Director of the Bartlesville Community Foundation, stated, “We believe in the power of collaboration and the impact that effective grantmaking can have on our community. I’m proud of the Foundation Board and our committee for championing this important cause to support some of our most impactful educators.”
Those wishing to contribute to the Early Childhood Education Support Fund can make donations to the Bartlesville Community Foundation at 321 SE Delaware, Bartlesville, OK 74003 or online at www.bartlesvillecf.org/donate/ and selecting “Early Childhood Education Fund” or typing the designation in the donation comments.
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