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 FY2022, Congress and the White House added nearly $600 million in additional funding for federal early childhood programs, including:
- $6.165 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program – a $254 million increase from FY2021
- $11.037 Billion for Head Start/Early Head Start – a $289 million increase from FY2021
Additionally, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, child care received over $50 billion in relief funding as part of the CARES Act, Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, and American Rescue Plan Act.
While we welcome these increased investments, more is still needed.
Resources
- 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
- CLASP’s American Rescue Plan Child Care Relief Funding by State
- CLASP’s December Child Care Relief Funding by State
- Children’s Budget Coalition Appropriations and Budget Tracker
- CCAoA’s CCDBG State Snapshots
