Child-care provider urges Glendale to partner on scalable solutions amid statewide shortage

Teresa Christiansen, founder and CEO of Bright Beginnings early-childhood development center, urged the Glendale City Council on Aug. 12 to formally engage local child-care providers in building scalable, employer-linked solutions to address what she called a statewide "child care desert."

"Arizona is facing a child care desert. It's costing this particular state over $958,000,000," Christiansen told the council during public comment, saying the shortage weakens the talent pipeline and reduces business productivity as parents leave the workforce.

Christiansen said she has more than 28 years of experience in early‑childhood education and workforce development and proposed a range of solutions including employer co‑ops, employer‑purchased slots, and use of idle city real estate to create child‑care capacity without creating a large tax burden. She said her organization has crafted scalable models and asked the city to consider piloting such initiatives and to formally engage providers like hers.

Her remarks were delivered during the public-comment period; the transcript records no staff response or council directive on the item during the Aug. 12 meeting.