In Bethlehem, Gale River Cooperative Preschool operates on the grounds of Copper Cannon Camp, hidden off a mile-long dirt road near Franconia Notch State Park. It is the only early education program in town, serving 30 children ages 3 to 5.
Fifty-three miles north, The Country Day School in Colebrook is the sole childcare and early education provider for northwestern Coos County. Director Katie Hopps said families come from as far as Pittsburg and Vermont, often without reliable transportation.
"If you live four miles out of town, you're hoping that your pal is going to give you a ride into town," Hopps said.
Statewide, nearly half of New Hampshire families live in childcare deserts, according to the Center for American Progress. The North Country has a lower concentration of licensed programs than the rest of the state.
Programs rely heavily on tuition, but pandemic-era grants have ended. Tamworth Preschool director Lisa Sargent said town budget cycles don't match school enrollment, making funding unpredictable.
"The budget committee met in March," Sargent said. "They will vote on whether or not they give us money. But we've had those kids since probably September of last year."
Gale River director Nicole McKay tries to bundle services, offering on-site speech therapy and assessments.
"For some families, this is the only thing their children are doing," McKay said. "This is their enrichment."
NEK will be looking into state-level funding proposals for rural childcare programs.
Photo: GreyJackJack (Wikimedia Commons, CC0). Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
Log in as a subscriber to comment, or become a member.