There are links on this page that go to pages on the Internet that are beyond the control of Crossover Technologies. Some of these pages may have moved or been shut down, in which case these links won't work. The age-old debate of states' rights versus federal control rears its head here, as some advocates argue for standardized day care policies under a stronger federal umbrella, while others contend that the autonomy of the states is one of the few factors that keeps parental values a consideration in subsidized day care facilities. In addition, of course, the greater the federal bureaucracy, the greater the expense.
Block grants are one of the lower-overhead ways of administering federal monies.
One option that frequently is discussed in the context of public day care is employer-sponsored facilities in or near the workplace. So far, very few employers have been willing to undertake the expense and responsibility of such programs, although pilot programs have demonstrated significant success and the predicted increases in productivity. If government subsidies were available to employers, day care advocates argue, many more would be willing to take the plunge, and the results would be good for everyone from the toddler to the shareholder. Another option is instead to cut the taxes of working parents, either by giving them a tax credit or a tax deduction for day care expenses. Supporters of this option say that providing funds through the tax system eliminates the need for another level of federal bureaucracy, and gives people the freedom to choose whatever day care option they want instead of a state-provided system.