The Challenge We Must Address
Across Tennessee, working families are facing an impossible choice: keep their jobs or care for their children.
Last year, Tennessee’s federal child care funding was reduced by $44.5 million. In response, access to the Smart Steps Child Care Assistance Program was frozen — creating waitlists for thousands of otherwise eligible low-income working families.
Smart Steps helps parents afford licensed child care so they can remain in the workforce. When access was paused:
- Families lost the assistance that made care affordable
- Parents were forced to cut work hours or leave jobs altogether
- Child care providers lost enrollment and revenue
- Some families turned to unregulated care out of desperation
Even as families struggle, more than $190 million in Tennessee’s federal TANF reserve funds remain unused.
For households already living paycheck to paycheck, the loss of child care support has created immediate financial strain — impacting employment, housing stability, and food security.
Tennessee’s economy depends on working families. And working families depend on child care.
The Solution: Use Existing Federal Funds to Clear the Waitlist
SB 1921 / HB 2358 would require the Department of Human Services to use unobligated TANF funds to ensure eligible families can access Smart Steps assistance.
Importantly, this bill:
- Uses existing federal dollars already available to Tennessee
- Clears the current child care waitlist for eligible families
- Restores prior eligibility thresholds
- Strengthens transparency through regular financial reporting
No new taxes. No new state spending. Just better use of funds Tennessee already has.
What You Can Do: Be a loud voice for little kids and families!
Your voice matters — and legislators need to hear directly from parents, employers, educators, and community leaders across Tennessee.
Take a moment now to email your state legislators and urge them to support clearing Tennessee’s child care waitlist by filling out the form below (2-3 minutes).
Before sending, consider adding one or two sentences about:
- Your experience as a parent, employer, provider, or community member
- How child care affordability affects your family, workplace, or community
Personal stories — even brief ones — make a powerful impact.
