What Do Federal Funds Pay For in Early Childhood Education?

Federal dollars make up roughly 75% of the public dollars spent on early childhood education. These federal dollars are critical to families and providers.

Here are some of things funded with federal dollars:

• Vouchers and other subsidies so that eligible families can afford child care  
• Early Head Start and Head Start
• Staff salaries, training and professional development, scholarships for higher education, part of the T.E.A.C.H. scholarship
• Resource and referral
• Licensing and monitoring
• Quality rating and improvement systems, including higher rates and technical assistance
• Infant care quality initiatives
• Early intervention services
• Preschool programs for children with disabilities
• Quality improvements in K-12, smaller class size

Here are some other federal programs that could be cut or altered in a way that leads to cuts:

• Women, Infant and Children’s nutrition program (WIC)
• Food Stamps/SNAP
• Medicaid (health care and also services for children with disabilities)

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