At its meeting tonight (5-12-26), the Sitka Assembly will hear the results of a months-long childcare needs assessment study.
In January, the assembly greenlit $25,000 to pay the Southeast Childhood Collective to conduct the study as part of an effort to address the growing issue of childcare in Sitka.
The regional nonprofit says the report provides a data-informed analysis of the island’s childcare system and outlines three investment options to “improve stability, strengthen the workforce, and expand access to care.”
The report lays out three main childcare constraints: supply and demand imbalance, workforce constraints, and affordability. It estimates Sitka has a demand of approximately 485 young children who require regular childcare, and that the licensed system has the capacity to serve less than half of that. The report also says the local childcare workforce faces a persistent wage gap that limits recruitment to the field. Furthermore, the report estimates monthly tuition in Sitka far exceeds the federal threshold for affordable childcare.
The assembly will consider accepting the report and directing staff on next steps at its meeting tonight. The report suggests several program options that could cost anywhere from $277,000 to $2 million.
In other business, the assembly will consider adopting the city’s operating budget and capital improvement plan. In a memo, Municipal Administrator John Leach said the gap between what the city brings in and what it costs to operate has continued to narrow, which has shaped every decision reflected in the draft budget.
The Sitka Assembly meets at 6 p.m. tonight. Raven News will broadcast the meeting live, following Alaska News Nightly.
