New FFYF poll shows 78% of Trump supporters say Congress and the next president should work together to make quality early care and learning more accessible and affordable
WASHINGTON – With an ever-growing chorus of Americans calling for action to increase access to quality early care and learning, today Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump released a policy proposal that includes plans aimed at supporting families with child care costs. Both leading presidential candidates now have detailed ideas on how to address a problem a majority of American voters have identified. According to the First Five Years Fund’s (FFYF) latest bipartisan national poll, American voters see a critical lack of quality, affordable options for their children aged zero to five.
“Child care is a necessity for many American families, especially low- and middle-income families, yet the cost of accessing quality care often rivals the cost of housing,” said FFYF Executive Director Kris Perry. “This is a top priority for voters. The fact that both campaigns have decided to spotlight how they plan to address the challenges of quality and affordable child care and early learning demonstrates that this is a truly bipartisan issue. Supporting America’s young children isn’t a Republican or Democratic value – it’s an American value.”
Voters see a lack of quality, affordable early care and learning opportunities. In fact, 45% say there are only few or some local programs available to low- and middle-income families that are high-quality and affordable. Additionally, over two-thirds of voters say that children do not start kindergarten with the knowledge and skills needed to do their best – skills often developed through quality child care and early childhood education.
However, in the midst of a polarized election, 90% of voters agree on one thing: Congress and the next president should work together to make quality early care and learning more accessible and affordable to low- and middle-income families. That includes 78% of Trump supporters and 97% of Clinton supporters.
“Any policy proposal involving the care and education of young children should ensure parents have greater access to options that are both affordable and high-quality,” continued FFYF’s Kris Perry. “Experiences in the earliest years lay the foundation for the rest of a child’s life.”
The first five years of life are a critical time when children develop the early cognitive and character skills that set the foundation for later success in school, career and life. The achievement gaps we see as early as kindergarten are created by gaps in a family’s resources necessary to foster strong early childhood development. Investing in quality early care and learning opportunities is essential – these investments have been proven to close that achievement gap and help ensure those children have a shot at success in school and life.
See more from FFYF’s latest national polling at http://www.ffyf.org/2016-poll
About the First Five Years Fund
The First Five Years Fund helps America achieve better results in education, health and economic productivity through investments in quality early childhood education programs for disadvantaged children. FFYF provides knowledge, data, and advocacy – persuading federal policymakers to make investments in the first five years of a child’s life that create greater returns for all. http://www.ffyf.org
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