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The Friday Five: The Latest Child Care and Early Learning News

January 30, 2026

The child care and early learning news you don’t want to miss. Check here for updates every Friday for the latest information you need to know. January 30 Today is …

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New National Poll Shows Strong Bipartisan Support for Federal Child Care Programs

January 28, 2026

New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies …

US Capitol building
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Funding for Key Early Learning Programs, FY2026

January 20, 2026

Each year, Congress determines funding levels for all of the federal defense and non-defense discretionary programs, including those that support the care and education of children from birth through age …

Call Congress: Protect and prioritize funding for child care and early learning

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Through the Years: Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five

January 10, 2026

The Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program is a $315 million competitive federal grant designed to improve collaboration and quality in states’ early childhood systems by building …

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A Year of Progress: 10 Bright Spots for Child Care & Early Learning

December 16, 2025

Even in a year marked by a government shutdown, political turbulence, and general unpredictability in Washington, 2025 gave us plenty to celebrate for child care and early learning. Families, advocates, …

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Cost Estimation Models: Increasing Child Care Stability Through More Accurate Provider Payment Rates

December 9, 2025

Cost Estimation Models allow states to better align provider payment rates with the actual cost of providing quality child care. This strengthens the workforce, enhances the quality of care children …

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The First Five Things to Know About: Employer-Provided Child Care Credit (45F)

December 2, 2025

In the United States, two-thirds of young children live in households where all available parents are working. meaning child care is essential for families’ ability to stay in the workforce. …

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Hot Topic: PDG B-5 Grants, December 2025

November 25, 2025

UPDATE 11/25/25 The deadline for applications for Systems-Building Grants is swiftly approaching. A few notes: Last week, Start Early, BUILD, EducationCounsel, and the Alliance for Early Success hosted a webinar …

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TOOLKIT: FY26 Appropriations

November 18, 2025

The Ask  Congress: Please act quickly to provide increased stability for families, children, and programs by passing the Senate FY26 Labor-H appropriations bill that prioritizes funding for child care and early learning programs for a full year.  Step …

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Shutdown 2025: Impact On Head Start Programs

November 18, 2025

UPDATE: 11/18/25 Head Start programs around the nation are continuing to re-open, some more quickly than others. As of today, Head Start sites in 13 states plus Puerto Rico are …

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FFYF Capsule Collection: Appropriations and Child Care

November 17, 2025

What Are Appropriations? In A Nutshell Even with growing support from states, businesses and philanthropy, federal funding makes up the majority of investment in child care and early learning in …

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