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Tracking Federal Child Care & Early Childhood Education Policy

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The chart below provides a basic overview of the federal programs, as well as status updates on the authorizations of those programs by Congress.

There are a variety of federal programs which address the needs of young children and their families. This section of our web site tracks the federal government programs on child care and early childhood education.

To track the funding of these programs through the annual Congressional appropriations process, download the PDF below.

 

Federal Law Program Overview Authorization
Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Federal funding for child care is divided into three separate funding streams, all of which are part of the federal umbrella program known as the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF). CCDBG, the discretionary portion of CCDF funds, is the primary federal funding source for child care assistance for low-income families. Administered by the Child Care Bureau within the Administration for Children and Families at the Department of Health and Human Services. Learn More Authorization of CCDBG expired in 2002. CCDF mandatory and matching funds expire in 2010.
Head Start/ Early Head Start Federally funded program that promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social, and other services. Administered by the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families at the Department of Health and Human Services. Learn More Authorization expires in 2012.
Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Provides federal funds to states and local communities to assist in their efforts to provide free appropriate public education to students with disabilities. The IDEA Preschool Grants program provides states with formula grants for special education and related services for children with disabilities aged 3 through 5, but states also have discretion to serve 2-year-old children with disabilities who will reach age 3 during the school year. Administered by the Office of Special Education Programs at the Department of Education. Learn More Authorization expires in 2011.
Part C of IDEA Provides federal funds to states to assist in maintaining and implementing statewide systems of coordinated, comprehensive, multidisciplinary, interagency programs of early intervention services for infants and toddlers. Administered by the Office of Special Education Programs at the Department of Education. Learn More Authorization expires in 2011.
Early Learning Challenge Fund This proposed initiative would provide competitive grants to State educational agencies, or the agency in a State that administers early childhood programs, for the development of a statewide infrastructure of integrated early learning supports and services for children, from birth through age 5. Grants would enable States to raise their standards, build systems that promote quality and ensure the effectiveness of their early learning programs, and monitor all publicly funded early childhood programs’ performance against the State’s standards. Administered by the Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Health and Human Services. Learn More and more On September 17, the House passed the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 (H.R. 3221) by a vote of 253-171. H.R. 3221 contains language authorizing the Early Learning Challenge Fund. The Senate is expected to consider authorizing language for the ECLF shortly.
Promise Neighborhoods This proposed initiative would provide funding to non-profit, community-based organizations to support the development of comprehensive neighborhood programs, modeled after the Harlem Children’s Zone, designed to combat the effects of poverty and improve education and life outcomes for children, from birth through college. Administered by the Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement. Learn More Conducted under appropriations authority in 2011.

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