DATA AND RESEARCH
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Federal Investments are the Foundation for State and Local Early Care and Education Programs
A deep dive into the ways federal funding undergirds the nation’s child care sector.

New Resource Outlines Crucial Role of Head Start for Rural Communities and Children with Disabilities
In May, the Children’s Equity Project (CEP) released a new resource on Head Start’s crucial impact on access to quality early learning and related services for children with disabilities and …

Child Care Number of the Week
Updated each week with the latest child care and early learning stats you need to know.

2025 FFYF Federal Guide to Early Learning and Care Programs
The 119th Congress has the opportunity to invest in America’s children, working families, and the economy through high-quality child care and early childhood education. This resource book is an introduction …

FAQs on Child Care, Early Learning, and the U.S. Department of Education
In March, President Trump signed an executive order that directs the Secretary of Education “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the …

New Resource Reveals Notable Changes in Price and Supply of Child Care
This week, Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) released their annual report, Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, which provides updated data on the current child care landscape …

Reforming Regulations and Decentering Deregulation
Child care costs are high, child care workforce compensation is low, and regulations are burdensome. In an effort to find a solution there have been growing conversations around deregulation without …

The First Five Things to Know About: Head Start In Every Congressional District
Head Start has been making a difference in the lives of children and families for more than 60 years. Since its beginning, the program has reached more than 40 million …

FFYF Hosts Child Care and Early Learning Briefing on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The First Five Years Fund (FFYF) hosted Congressional staff for its annual bipartisan “ABCs of Federal Child Care and Early Learning” briefing. The session focused on the …

NIEER Releases Their Annual Report on the State of Preschool
This week, the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) released their 2024 State of Preschool Yearbook, offering a comprehensive analysis of state-funded preschool programs during the 2023-2024 school year. …

New Poll: Support for Head Start
Quality care is crucial for a child’s development. Early learning programs help build the skills kids need to succeed in school and in life. And when parents know their children …

Polling Memo: Republican Support for Child Care Tax Policies
Polling conducted by Republican pollsters UpONE Insights on behalf of First Five Years Fund (FFYF) shows strong support for expanding child care-related tax credits. This is especially relevant as the …