Piedmont, Okla. — Hundreds of families in Oklahoma are scrambling to find childcare after a wave of center closures linked to new state regulations. In Piedmont, longtime childcare provider Felicia Clemmons is preparing to close the doors of TLC Childcare after 46 years in operation — the last center remaining in town.
The closure is part of a broader statewide trend that childcare experts say has already displaced as many as 800 children. The new regulations, signed into law earlier this year, require childcare centers to meet stricter standards in order to maintain their state star rating — a system that determines funding levels.
“The money it was going to cost to get that accomplished — there was no way I could do it,” said Clemmons, referring to the cost of achieving national accreditation, now required to retain a five-star rating.
Clemmons said she has seen generations of families come through her doors. “Being in business for 46 years, I have had kids who are grandkids of the ones I had. And just seeing that through the years has been more rewarding than any financial rewards we’ve had,” she said.
Under the new rules, programs had until April 10 to declare their intent to pursue or forfeit five-star status. Without national accreditation, centers will be downgraded to four stars, resulting in significant cuts to their state funding.
“Off the top of my head, it’s probably a 15 to 20% funding decrease going from a five-star to a four-star,” said Janell Wheat, a board member at the Licensed Childcare Association. “And so it’s significant.”
Wheat added that the process of national accreditation can take up to a year, yet providers are facing a hard deadline of September 1. While an expedited version is available for Oklahoma centers, the costs can be prohibitive.
“Not only in accreditation fees, but also service offerings in your program that you may have to change or incur costs to be able to implement,” Wheat explained.
As centers close or downgrade, parents across the state are facing fewer options for affordable, high-quality care. Advocates are calling for more support and time to help providers meet the new standards without sacrificing the availability of care.
With the closure of TLC Childcare at the end of May, Piedmont will be left without a licensed childcare center — a loss that residents say will be deeply felt.
