Upon the signing of the government funding bill that includes child care and early learning programs, Daniel Hains, NAEYC's Chief Policy and Professional Advancement Officer, released the following statement: 

“Early childhood educators have been telling Congress for months that more federal money is needed to support teachers and the children and families with whom they work. NAEYC is grateful that Congress protected and prioritized child care and early learning in its final government spending plan. 

Key wins in this package include: 

• $85 million increase for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, which helps low-income families afford child care 
• $85 million increase for Head Start, which provides comprehensive early learning services to children from low-income families 
• Protected funding for preschool special education and early intervention programs, ensuring children with disabilities continue receiving critical services 
• Directing the Administration to conduct a new competition for CCAMPIS grants, supporting access to child care for student parents 

Yet more work is needed. As Congress now turns its attention to funding the Department of Homeland Security, we encourage members to prioritize accountability measures that protect children and educators, including reinstating protections against immigration enforcement activities in sensitive locations like child care programs. These previously longstanding protections have been embraced under bipartisan leadership for over three decades to provide a sense of safety for families and educators. And, as we look ahead to next year’s spending decisions, we will continue to advocate for significant and sustained increases for the federal programs that expand access to high-quality child care and early learning opportunities for our youngest learners.”