Employers and working families in every West Virginia county can now take part in Tri-Share, the child care cost-sharing program that began as an eight-county pilot in 2025. Through Tri-Share, an employer, their employee and the State of West Virginia each pay a share of the employee’s childcare costs.
The statewide expansion is funded by an appropriation from the West Virginia Legislature, which reviewed the results of the eight-county pilot and chose to fund the program’s expansion. Funding is now available in all 55 counties, and there are no sign-up or administrative fees for employers or families.
“The Tri-Share program has been a tremendous success here at WVU Medicine Thomas,” says Dr. Greg Rosencrance, president and CEO of WVU Medicine Thomas Hospitals. “It’s been a significant tool in our toolbox for recruitment and retention, and it’s been a painless process for us. Our workforce is predominantly female, and this is another assist we can provide to help our caregivers balance a full-time job with the responsibilities of being a parent. I’d say just do it.”
Through the Wonderschool platform, Tri-Share splits the cost of child care among the employer, the employee and the state. An employer chooses how much to contribute toward an employee’s childcare. The state matches that contribution based on a sliding scale relative to household income, and the employee covers the rest. Families can keep their current licensed provider or find a program through Wonderschool, which handles enrollment and billing, so each party pays only its share.
“West Virginia is now one of a handful of states leading the nation on employer-supported child care, and that’s a smart economic bet,” says Chris Bennett, CEO for Wonderschool. “When parents can’t find or afford child care, they leave the workforce and the whole community feels it. Making the program available in every county means an opportunity for growth in every corner of the state.”
