Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal funding and programs benefit families in every state and Congressional district, and serve as the foundation for America’s entire child care system — or lack thereof. And while these programs enjoy widespread bipartisan support on Capitol Hill, Congress has failed to meaningfully invest funding that would reach millions of children who are eligible to participate — much less the millions more whose families earn above the income threshold but still struggle to find and afford quality care options.
