High-quality, affordable child care and preschool is essential for many families and their children. Child care and preschool programs help children to learn and explore, while allowing parents to find and keep jobs knowing their children are in good hands. The Budget Center examines state funding and related policies for child care and early education, including opportunities to broaden low- and middle-income families’ access to quality programs.
Child Care & Preschool
Featured
Fact Sheet
Dollars for Child Care and Preschool in 2018-19 Near Pre-Recession Levels With Boost From One-Time Funding
This Fact Sheet shows that funding for preschool and child care in the state budget has incrementally increased for five years in a row, but that even with this recent increase, the availability of subsidized child care and preschool falls far short of the need for it.
Blog
President Trump’s Child Care Proposal: Few Benefits for Struggling Families
This analysis examines the child care proposal President Trump had issued during his campaign, highlighting how the plan strongly favors families with high incomes and would provide little benefit to lower-income families who struggle to afford child care.
Report
Enrollment in Subsidized Child Care and Development Programs Varies by Race and Ethnicity
This report examines access to subsidized child care and preschool by race and ethnicity. While the share of children in these state programs was low across all racial and ethnic groups, Asian and Latino children had the smallest share enrolled.