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New Report shows Skyrocketing Cost of Child Care
A new report from Bank of America has found that parents’ average child care payments are up a whopping 32% from 2019 – higher than the rate of inflation. First …

Highlights from Senate Appropriations hearing on White House FY24 request
On Wednesday, November 8, the Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing to discuss President Biden’s FY24 supplemental funding request. As part of the three-hour hearing, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas …

New Rural Child Care Policy Framework
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) recently released a Rural Child Care Policy Framework, which outlines core challenges families living in rural areas face when accessing child care, including a lack …

Annual Roadmap Highlights State Policies to Support Infants & Toddlers
The first three years of children’s lives are a critical period for their development. State policy choices that impact young children and their families during pregnancy and these early years …

The Crucial Role of Early Educators and the Need for Increased Compensation
Early educators are underpaid and undervalued for the challenging and important work they do. When determining what factors make an early care and education (ECE) program high quality, it’s the …

New GAO Report Highlights IDEA Early Intervention Programs
The report identified various challenges, including varying eligibility criteria, staffing shortages, and limited data collection, and concluded with several recommendations for Congress. The first few years of life are critical …

New Resource Highlights Innovations to Strengthen ECE Facility Infrastructure
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) recently released a report, From the Ground Up: Improving Child Care and Early Learning Facilities, that demonstrates the ways states, localities, and tribes can invest …

The First Five Things to Know About: Representative Brian Fitzpatrick
As part of an ongoing series on the bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus, the First Five Years Fund is chatting with each of the co-chairs about their role as a …

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: A Deep Dive Into Dual Language Learners
As FFYF commemorates Hispanic Heritage Month, we take a moment to reflect on the remarkable contributions of Latinx communities across the United States. In recognizing and celebrating our nation’s Latinx …

The First Five Things to Know About: Representative Ashley Hinson
As part of an ongoing series on the Bipartisan Child Care and Pre-K Caucus, First Five Years Fund is chatting with each of the co-chairs about their role as a …

The First Five Things to Know About: Representative Suzanne Bonamici
As part of an ongoing series on the Bipartisan Child Care and Pre-K Caucus, First Five Years Fund is chatting with each of the co-chairs about their role as a …

The Multiple Benefits of Cost Models for Child Care
In the early care and education (ECE) policy space, we most often hear the term “cost model” associated with states determining provider reimbursement rates for Child Care and Development Block …