early learning
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Child Care Means Business: Leaders and Employers Highlight Urgent Need for Solutions
This week, the First Five Years Fund (FFYF) and the Women’s Congressional Policy Institute (WCPI) co-hosted a bipartisan briefing on Capitol Hill to spotlight that Child Care Means Business. The …
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 …
CAPSULE COLLECTION: Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five (PDG B-5)
In A Nutshell Due to limited budgets and capacity, many states struggle to support the important activities – like data collection, research, infrastructure development, and other quality initiatives – that …
Stand for Head Start Stories
Head Start is a federal program that makes a real differences in the lives of families. These are a few stories of the parents, advocates, and educators who have seen …
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 …
STATEMENT: FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling on Senate Markup of FY26 Funding Levels for Child Care and Early Learning Programs
WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee held a markup of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act to establish proposed funding levels for child care and …
WEBINAR: Make the Most of August Recess
During August, Members of Congress return to their home states and districts for a scheduled recess to hear directly from the people they represent. This at home work period is …
TOOLKIT: Tell Your Member of Congress – Child Care is Critical!
Members of Congress are home for the last time before the September funding deadline — and this is our moment to speak up. Child care is one of the biggest …
FFYF’s Sarah Rittling on Child Care for Working Families Act Introduction
WASHINGTON – Today, Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) re-introduced the Child Care for Working Families Act (CCWFA), comprehensive legislation that would address access, affordability, …
TOPLINES: Child Care in the 2025 Tax Reconciliation Package
The final version of the 2025 tax reconciliation package (also known as H.R.1) was signed into law on July 4th, 2025. The bill permanently improves three pieces of tax policy …
FFYF’s Sarah Rittling on Child Care Tax Enhancements in the Final Reconciliation Package
Final passage of the 2025 reconciliation bill contains updates to tax credits which will help make child care more affordable for more working families with young children including: The following …
House Education and Workforce Hearing Highlights Overwhelming Bipartisan Agreement that Child Care is Key to a Robust Economy
The House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing this week to discuss how Congress can address child care availability and affordability to …
