One of the many issues before the next governor of Alaska will be the growing gap between available providers and the demand for childcare, which some advocates are calling a “childcare crisis.” Many Alaska families are grappling with finding reliable care due to a lack of childcare facilities and workers that contributes to fewer slots, long waitlists and rising costs for families.
An estimated half of Alaskan families cannot fully participate in the workforce because they lack access to childcare, according to thread, a statewide childcare resource and referral organization. The organization estimates that’s more than 25,000 Alaskans that could be more active in the workforce. The average cost to Alaska families is estimated at over $14,000 per year, thread estimates, sometimes surpassing the monthly cost of rent.
Advocates say a patchwork system of federal, state and local funding is insufficient in providing Alaska families with adequate childcare, with childcare providers reporting struggles to complete licensing requirements to open new facilities, provide competitive wages to workers and keep daycare operations going.
Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins and Republicans Dave Bronson and Treg Taylor said they would seek to reduce state regulations for childcare providers and promote incentives for employers to provide childcare, if elected. Kreiss-Tomkins and Bronson also said they would support recurring state funding for childcare.
The three are among four candidates running for governor in the November election, along with Republican Bernadette Wilson. Wilson’s campaign declined to comment on her platform on childcare issues after numerous calls, texts and emails over the course of a week.
Kreiss-Tomkins, Bronson and Taylor said their administrations would prioritize expanding access to childcare, especially in rural Alaska. Bronson called childcare “essential infrastructure” for the state’s economy.
“I would work with local communities, tribes, employers, school districts, and existing providers to expand the options that fit each community. So whether that’s a licensed center, a home-based provider, a cooperative, or an employer-supported program,” Bronson said. “Rural Alaska needs solutions designed locally, because a model that works in Anchorage may not work in a village.”
Kreiss-Tomkins also said he would support opening smaller, home-based providers and for childcare workers in rural areas, which would also boost rural employment opportunities.
“Making training available to providers creates jobs for people who already live and work in rural communities and lets parents go to work, go hunting, or back to school,” he said.
Currently, only some Alaskan families receive childcare assistance based on available funding and eligibility. The non-profit thread estimates that 23% of children receive a subsidy from the government or employer.
Kreiss-Tomkins cited a true cost study commissioned by the Dunleavy administration in 2024 that showed a wide gap between childcare assistance and the cost of care – which is significantly larger in rural areas – in his support for boosting state childcare funding.
“Besides direct investment in programs like Child Care Assistance at the state level, I think one aspect we should clearly do more with is investment in the child care workforce, and partner with unions, tribes and universities to make those investments,” Kreiss-Tomkins said.
Bronson also said he supports recurring state funding, as well as “targeted employer partnerships” and pursuing federal grant programs. But Taylor disagreed, saying before more state funding he would look to federal funding and tax credits for families and employers.
“Any state support would come from the existing budget, not new taxes, and be tied to one result: more open
