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The Crucial Role of Early Educators and the Need for Increased Compensation

November 3, 2023

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 …

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New GAO Report Highlights IDEA Early Intervention Programs

October 27, 2023

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 …

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STATEMENT: First Five Years Fund’s Sarah Rittling on White House Effort To Prioritize Child Care

October 26, 2023

The White House has called on Congress to prioritize funding for child care and early learning programs. The following is a statement from First Five Years Fund Executive Director Sarah Rittling …

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ZERO TO THREE Releases State of Babies 2023 Yearbook

October 3, 2023

ZERO TO THREE recently released the State of Babies Yearbook: 2023, an in-depth report on how state and federal policies have impacted the lives of families and their young babies. …

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The Multiple Benefits of Cost Models for Child Care

September 15, 2023

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 …

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FFYF Submits Comments on 2023 Child Care and Development Fund NPRM

August 28, 2023

On July 13, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would strengthen the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) – the program …

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FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets

July 31, 2023

Our new analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that child care and early learning programs have tremendous impacts on young children, their families, and the economy at …

News

STATEMENT: FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling on Senate Markup of FY24 Funding Levels for Child Care and Early Learning Programs

July 27, 2023

WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Committee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a bipartisan mark up on proposed funding levels for child care and early …

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What Can Advocates Learn From How New Mexico and Alabama Are Transforming Their Child Care Systems?

July 26, 2023

What states have been successful in transforming their early care and education (ECE) landscape and expanding high-quality child care options for young children? How are they doing it? And how …

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Federal Investments are the Foundation for State and Local Early Care and Education Programs

July 18, 2023

Our nation depends on child care. Today, 26.8 million people—16% of the U.S. workforce—rely on child care to work or attend school. But the high cost and limited supply of …

News

STATEMENT: First Five Years Fund Executive Director Sarah Rittling on Proposed FY24 Funding Levels for Child Care and Early Learning Programs

July 14, 2023

“Federal funding provides the foundation for child care and early learning programs. Now is the time to bring greater support for working families and children, not reverse course. We urge …

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The First Five Things To Know About: Federal Funding for Early Learning and Child Care

July 10, 2023

Child care is essential to the health and strength of our nation. Today, 26.8 million people in the workforce – or one out of every six – rely on child …

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