One preschool looks for solutions among staffing shortage

By Rex Hodge

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    WAYNESVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — Child care centers across North Carolina are experiencing a staffing shortage.

COVID-19 challenges and traditionally low pay are major factors. A Waynesville preschool is experiencing the shortage and the owner is looking for solutions from government leaders.

Staffing is down at Eagle’s Nest Early Learning Center and Preschool by three full-time positions and two part-time positions. It means they’ve had to shorten their hours and there are more than 40 parents on a wait list.

“Well, it started with COVID,” says owner Nicole Smith.

She says the pandemic kept many parents home with their kids and although she sees people slowly trickling back to work now, she says at her preschool it’s not enough to fill her learning spaces.

“We’ve really had challenges covering staff, covering ratio that’s required from the state,” Smith says.

A survey by the North Carolina Child Care Resource and Referral Council finds this is statewide problem.

With nominal wages in child care, Smith says someone looking for work might find higher pay at fast food places. To attract staff, Smith is presented with a puzzle.

“The only way that we were able to implement a higher pay scale for staff is to unfortunately raise tuition rates for private paying families,” she says

Tuition went up last month for the first time in five years, from $600 to $800 a month. That can be a pinch for many families.

“There’s definitely some frustration,” Smith says.

There’s stress too on existing staff.

“We had to shorten our hours a while back just to help relieve staff,” Smith says.

Wages at Eagle’s Nest now range from $10 to $18 an hour. Smith says child care stabilization grants from the American Rescue Plan have helped.

“We’ve been able to use some of that towards employee bonuses,” she says.

But she wants to see permanent solutions from state and federal government.

“Having quality staff that are going to stay around for a while is vital,” Smith says.

Things have evolved somewhat. But there’s not as much of a change as I would like to see,” says Smith.

Smith says a child’s foundation starts in places like this.

“Not just education-wise, but for social-emotional interaction,” she says.

While the pay scale isn’t as high as Smith would like to see, she says there are other benefits including flexible schedules, paid vacation and health benefits.

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