(Boise) As the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact every aspect of our state and our economy, they are driving home the critical importance of child care in Idaho. While the Idaho State Board of Education closed all schools until April 20, the choice to keep child care programs open across the state remains discretionary. So far, 124 child care programs out of approximately 1,100 have closed, displacing over 4,000 children.