Missoula’s Child Care Crisis: Why Preschools Are Suddenly Empty

The Shocking Decline in Early Education Enrollment

Missoula’s child care centers are facing an unexpected crisis—classrooms once bustling with preschoolers now sit eerily quiet. Across the city, enrollment numbers have plummeted, leaving educators scrambling to understand the sudden shift. What’s behind this alarming trend? Experts point to a perfect storm of economic pressures, shifting family dynamics, and policy changes.

Key Factors Driving the Drop in Preschool Attendance

• Soaring Costs: With inflation hitting record highs, many families can no longer afford tuition, even with dual incomes.
• Remote Work Boom: More parents are opting to keep toddlers home while they work remotely, despite the challenges.
• Shrinking Birth Rates: Montana’s fertility rate has declined steadily since 2020, leaving fewer children to fill classrooms.
• Policy Whiplash: Changes in state subsidies have created confusion, causing some low-income families to withdraw.

The Ripple Effect on Montana’s Workforce

Empty preschools don’t just impact educators—they threaten the entire local economy. Child care centers are laying off staff, and working parents, especially mothers, are being forced to leave their jobs. "Without reliable care, many families are choosing between paychecks and parenting," says Dr. Elena Torres, a University of Montana sociologist. Meanwhile, some employers report increased absenteeism as employees juggle work and child care.

What’s Being Done?

1. Emergency Grants: The city is offering stopgap funding to keep centers afloat.
2. Employer Partnerships: Some tech firms now subsidize child care as a retention tool.
3. Policy Push: Advocates are lobbying Helena for permanent subsidy reforms.

What Do You Think?

• Should taxpayers fund universal preschool, or is this solely a family responsibility?
• Does remote work solve the child care crisis—or just mask deeper problems?
• Are declining birth rates a warning sign for Montana’s future economy?
• Could this crisis accelerate gender inequality in the workplace?