Childcare costs rising

Tulsa families are paying more for child care as a local coalition presses for a $30 million annual plan to expand care and after-school programs. (theblackwallsttimes.com) The Yes for Tulsa Kids coalition says the median annual cost of full-day child care for one child in Tulsa County hit $12,473 in 2024. Its report says that equals 13.3% of median household income, nearly double the federal affordability benchmark. (theblackwallsttimes.com) The coalition’s website says only 44% of Tulsa’s youngest children currently have access to licensed child care, and for every one seat available for children under 5, 1.5 children are waiting. The group began meeting with Tulsa city councilors in January 2026 after earlier talks with Mayor Monroe Nichols in December 2024. (yesfortulsakids.org 1) (yesfortulsakids.org 2) The push comes after pandemic-era Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief money began expiring. The coalition traces its campaign to 2023 meetings organized by City Year Tulsa and The Opportunity Project, with CAP Tulsa joining in 2024 to focus on children ages 0 to 4. (yesfortulsakids.org) At the federal level, the Internal Revenue Service says the Child Tax Credit is now worth up to $2,200 per qualifying child. The refundable Additional Child Tax Credit is capped at $1,700 per child, and families need at least $2,500 in earned income to claim that refundable portion. (irs.gov) The Internal Revenue Service says families qualify for the full credit if annual income is not more than $200,000 for single filers or $400,000 for joint filers. The agency also says the child, and the filer or spouse on a joint return, must have Social Security numbers valid for employment in the United States. (irs.gov) Those tax rules can trim a family’s bill at filing time, but they do not lower weekly tuition charged by providers. In Oklahoma, providers are also facing state rule changes tied to subsidy reimbursements, with non-accredited five-star programs required to submit accreditation paperwork by April 10, 2025 and gain accreditation by Sept. 1, 2025 or risk lower ratings and lower payments. (kgou.org) KGOU reported that Oklahoma had 3,220 licensed child care providers as of March 3, 2025, and about two-thirds had subsidy contracts. In January 2025, 32,141 children were using care through the state subsidy program. (kgou.org) Tulsa’s coalition argues a local funding stream would do what tax credits cannot: add seats, stabilize programs, and keep parents in the workforce. For families weighing rent, work schedules, and care bills, the fight in Tulsa is now over who covers the gap between what care costs and what parents can pay. (yesfortulsakids.org) (irs.gov)