DATA AND RESEARCH
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CAPSULE COLLECTION: Head Start
IN A NUTSHELL The Head Start program has served more than 40 million children in its 60-year history—giving kids a strong start through early learning, health, and nutrition services. Children …
Through the Years: Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five
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 …
NEW: “High Cost of Child Care Shapes Families’ Choices and Futures”
A new 2025 American Family Survey shows a sharp shift in how Americans view the cost of raising children. Seven in ten respondents now say raising kids is too expensive, …
Building the Foundation: Head Start Strengthens Early Learning Nationwide
Head Start provides funding directly to local grantees who operate in rural, urban, and suburban communities across the country and tailor programs based on their community’s specific needs and resources. …
POLL: Strong Louisiana Support for Head Start Amid Federal Funding Uncertainty
As Head Start programs across Louisiana face financial hardship and closure due to the ongoing federal shutdown, new polling shows that Louisiana voters remain overwhelmingly supportive of the program and …
Polling Highlights: Missouri, Oklahoma, and Ohio Voters on Child Care Challenges, Workforce Impact, and Need for Action
In a new poll from First Five Years Fund and state child care organizations, voters in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Ohio say child care is a necessity for families and a …
POLLING: Rural Voters on Child Care and Head Start
In a new poll from First Five Years Fund, Rural Americans say money is tight, and child care is a significant part of that burden. The survey shows that the …
New Interactive Resource Reveals Staggering Data on the Child Care Gaps Across the United States
The Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska, in collaboration with Child Care Aware of America and the Bipartisan Policy Center, recently released an interactive map resource that …
ANALYSIS: FFYF’s 2025 State Fact Sheets
FFYF’s 2025 State Fact Sheets show how federal investments in child care impact working parents, children, and the economy. These federal programs not only benefit families nationwide, they also serve …
Research Finds Preschool Enrollment Can Increase Parent Income
Preschool enrollment has the potential to substantially impact parents’ incomes. Parents’ Earnings and the Returns to Universal Pre-Kindergarten, a study on the economic impact of universal pre-kindergarten (UPK) enrollment in …
How Do Families Decide on Child Care? A New Study Examines Early Learning and Care Decision-Making
Without sufficient federal funding for early learning and care services, options for children and their families remain limited. Thankfully, there are efforts underway to increase access to affordable, high-quality care. …
State-By-State: A Look At How Many Families Receive the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC)
The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) helps millions of working families cover a portion of their child care costs. In 2022, more than 5.7 million families nationwide benefitted …
