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EYE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD
May 2024
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Recent Child Care & Early Education Investments Underscore the Need for Future Funding
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It has been a busy spring for child care and early education, but there is much more work to be done. In the past few months, the fiscal year (FY) 2024 funding bill was finalized, President Biden released his FY2025 proposed budget, and a new Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) final rule was published for the first time since 2016. The FY2024 funding bill includes $8.75 billion for the Child Care Development Block Grant ($725 million dollar increase from FY2023) and $12.27 billion for Head Start ($275 million increase from FY2023). Together, this amounts to a $1 billion increase for child care and early education funding.
The President’s proposed FY2025 budget also included bold investments in child care and early education, and the proposed $600 billion over 10 years for child care and pre-K reinforces the growing recognition that a well-funded child care system is necessary for families, children, and the economy to thrive. These real and proposed investments come at a crucial moment as states begin implementing the new CCDF final rule, which aims to expand access to affordable child care.
The resources below underscore the ways our team is continuing to fight for a more affordable, transformative, and well-funded child care system in our 25th year of child care and early education policy work at CLASP.
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Featured Updates
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CCDF Final Rule Explainer
Tiffany Ferrette, Rachel Wilensky, and Alisha Saxena share key requirements and encouragements put forth in the new CCDF final rule, and provide examples from states that have already implemented key requirements in partnership with the National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Women’s Law Center, and Diane Girouard at Child Care Aware of America.
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READ THE BRIEF HERE
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Recent Events
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Putting the Pieces Together for Families with Young Children
On April 30, CLASP staff interviewed parents, advocates, and administrators from California and Washington to offer insight into what it takes to build an aligned system of supports for families in the prenatal-to-three period.
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Smart Start & North Carolina Partnership for Children
On March 22, Tiffany Ferrette joined a meeting with Smart Start and North Carolina Partnership for Children to present on the 2024 CCDF final rule. She discussed the new requirements, encouragements, and clarifications for North Carolina partners to know and consider.
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The City University of New York
On March 19, Tiffany Ferrette lectured a graduate class at The City University of New York, Hunter College, Silberman School of Social Work on child care and early education and U.S. policy and social systems.
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National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association
On March 8, Stephanie Schmit, Wendy Cervantes, and NWLC’s Kara Colman-Castillo presented a session at the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association Conference about administrative actions to increase access to child care and early education for immigrant families and providers.
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Did You Know?
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April was Care Workers Recognition Month
We joined our child care champions and partners, along with the Administration and Congress, in celebrating these essential workers and amplifying the need for the increased investment in and transformation of child care and other care sectors that support children, families, and the economy.
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Meet the Team
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Meet Alyssa Fortner, one of our team’s policy analysts! She leads our partnership with parent leaders and works on state- and federal-level policy on child care and early education and intersecting issues, like nutrition. Read more about Alyssa’s work and interests here.
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