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This week—thanks to the tireless work of parents, providers, organizers, advocates, and policymakers—we witnessed a historic win for the child care sector: a running total of more than $50 billion in child care relief spending since the beginning of the pandemic. With the passage today of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) by Congress—and the imminent signing of it by President Biden—the nation is investing $39 billion in direct relief funding for child care, which is on top of previous relief funds. Of the ARP’s $39 billion, nearly $15 billion will provide expanded child care assistance through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) to support families and providers, including addressing the child care needs of essential workers. The remaining nearly $24 billion creates a stabilization fund for eligible child care providers, including those who haven’t previously received funding through CCDBG.
In two pieces, Alycia Hardy and Katherine Gallagher Robbins update an estimate of how much each state, D.C, and Puerto Rico would receive from the $39 billion investment, and Christine Johnson-Staub addresses how states can use the funding to increase equity and maximize support for families and early educators.
This funding is an unprecedented and crucial win, but the fight must continue. These critical direct investments are how we begin to bring the child care sector back from the brink, yet we must make additional significant investments to undo the damage of long-standing under-investments and build back a better, more equitable, accessible, and affordable system that meets the needs of children, families, and early educators.
If you have questions, please contact Katherine Gallagher Robbins at [email protected].
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