Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) closely monitors the federal budget and appropriations process to ensure strong funding for federal early childhood programs. The current funding for child care is inadequate, fragmented, unpredictable and unsustainable. The child care system relies on a patchwork of funding streams that places too high a burden on families paying tuition and on educators working for low wages, creating clear inequities. High-quality early childhood education is a public good, and it must be valued as such. It contributes to stronger families, greater economic development and more livable communities. CCAoA will continue to communicate this message to policymakers, helping them understand that early childhood education deserves to be financed and sustained like the public good that it is.
In FY2023, Congress and the White House added nearly $2.8 billion in funding increases for core federal early learning and care programs, including:
- $8 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program – a $1.8 billion increase from FY2022
- $12 billion for Head Start/ Early Head Start – a $960 million increase from FY2022
- $315 million for the Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) program – a $25 million increase over FY2022
- $420 million for IDEA Part B Preschool Grants – a $10.4 million increase from FY2022
- $520 million for IDEA Part C Grants for Infants and Toddlers – a $43.7 million increase over FY2022
While we welcome these increased investments, robust, long-term public support is still needed to make child care affordable for families and ensure more children have access to high-quality early learning experiences.
Resources
- CCAoA’s Statement on Congressional Passage of FY23 Omnibus Spending Bill
- Letters and Comments from CCAoA and Partners
- CCAoA blog: FY2022 Funding for Child Care in the Omnibus Package
- CCAoA’s Statement in Response to Congress Passing American Rescue Plan
- CCAoA’s Statement on FY2021 Appropriations and COVID-19 Relief
