EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Family-owned Little Footsteps Care and Learning Center will close its doors on Nov. 27 after nearly two decades in business, and the owner said it’s due to challenges likely to be faced by most private preschools.

“I think a lot of preschools — and they may not admit it — but I think a lot of us are struggling, with low enrollment and the high cost of food. The same obstacles we faced, I think are felt everywhere,” said Blanca Gonzalez, owner of Little Footsteps.

Gonzalez said they opened the daycare 18 years ago with the idea of ​​having a place to care for their own four children instead of paying for a separate daycare.

Gonzalez said they were in a constant state of having to raise their rates and that eventually forced them to close.

“It was a very difficult decision (to close). All our staff are like family to us. We can’t keep up with (inflation). We can no longer raise our prices. We’ve fallen into a vicious cycle where we can’t raise prices because families can’t afford higher childcare rates. And so we’re kind of stuck in the middle,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said the most burdensome costs for them were rising food and gas prices. Little Footsteps provides children with four meals a day and also provides transportation to and from school.

Gonzalez said low reimbursement rates from Texas Child Care Services, which cover some of the costs for low-income families who qualify, also played a role in the closings.

“The main challenge this time was the low reimbursement rate for subsidized childcare. It doesn’t compare to what we charge private families,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez also noted that parents who must rely on subsidies from CCS must be on a waiting list of more than two years to be approved.

Gonzalez added that in addition to these financial issues, they also had to compete with the Educational Service Center – Head Start Program for Region 19, which recently opened just a few miles away from their business.

Parents with children at Little Footsteps said they are concerned about the high cost of childcare and the challenge they now face in finding someone who can provide the same care as Little Footsteps.

“I’ve been here for nine years. My kids actually grew up here, ever since they were born. So Little Footsteps was their preschool for a while. So it really affected us in our routines. And looking for a nursery, it’s going to be hard,” said Blanca Martinez, who was on the verge of tears.

“I don’t know if my kids will feel comfortable (elsewhere). I’ve been here for nine years. Here (Little Footsteps), they treat them like family,” Martinez added.

Martinez said her top priorities in finding another child care center are that they provide transportation for her four children from school and that they are open as early as 5:30 so she can go to work.

Ariel Chacon has three children at Little Footsteps, and despite only enrolling them there for less than three years, she’s having a hard time finding someone who can give them the same detailed care.

“My children came from a different kindergarten. They were mistreated and other things, and now that I’m here it’s totally (different).” Chacon said. “This kindergarten takes our children to school, picks up our children. They provide food and everything, and it’s just an extra help for all of us parents, especially the single moms that are here.”

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