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Early Childhood Policy

We are committed to advancing progressive policies with bold, family-friendly solutions that equitably support all children, families, and early educators.

A male teacher and a student playing with toys at a classroom table. (Getty/Maskot)

What We're Doing

Ensuring access to affordable early care and education

Half of all Americans live in neighborhoods classified as child care deserts with little to no access to child care. We promote bold policy solutions to the child care crisis that will expand access and affordability, bringing an inclusive and racially equitable vision to life.

Building family economic security through child care

Child care is an investment in economic infrastructure, and lack of public investment negatively affects parent workforce participation, family economic security, and the U.S. economy. We need to establish comprehensive solutions that invest in all families.

Promoting quality of early care and education

Family-friendly policy solutions should respect the inherent values and rights of parents, infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the early education field. We promote progressive policies that support the well-being of our youngest children and high-quality early learning in all communities.

The Early Childhood Policy team is committed to advancing progressive policies with bold, family-friendly solutions that equitably support all children, families, and early educators.

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About our team

The Center for American Progress’ Early Childhood Policy team is committed to creating and advancing progressive policies centered on bold, family-friendly solutions that equitably support all children, families, and early educators. Key components of the team’s work include building actionable, inclusive, and racially equitable policies that serve all families regardless of income, geographic location, ability, gender, or race; believing in and supporting the inherent value and rights of young children (infants, toddlers, and preschoolers); valuing the early childhood teaching profession by providing livable wages and additional workforce supports; and building new systems with equitable investments in families.

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Child Care Professionals Are on the Front Lines as Climate Change Risks Children’s Health and Development Report
A teacher prepares a classroom at Woodbury Village Preschool that sustained smoke damage during the Eaton fire in Altadena, California

Child Care Professionals Are on the Front Lines as Climate Change Risks Children’s Health and Development

Amid a changing climate and federal rollbacks to disaster relief and preparedness, early educators face an increasingly untenable child care landscape that will require state and local action.

Hailey Gibbs, Nadia Gronkowski, Hester Paul, 2 More Joan Lombardi, Ph.D., Nsedu Obot Witherspoon

Promising Models To Support and Expand the Early Childhood Educator Workforce Report
Young children sitting on bench

Promising Models To Support and Expand the Early Childhood Educator Workforce

Early childhood educators do critical work in educating the nation’s youngest learners. Recruiting, retaining, and expanding the workforce through investments in their compensation and benefits must be prioritized.

Erin Grant

Fact Sheet: What To Know About the Child Care for Working Families Act Fact Sheet
A parent picks up his kids at a child care center.

Fact Sheet: What To Know About the Child Care for Working Families Act

The Child Care for Working Families Act would make child care more accessible and affordable, promote high-quality care options, and support child care workers.

The Early Childhood Policy Team

About Extreme Heat, We Need to Prioritize Children In the News

About Extreme Heat, We Need to Prioritize Children

In an op-ed published by InsideSources, Hailey Gibbs highlights proven strategies that communities and policymakers can adopt to better mitigate the deadly effects of climate change for young children and infants.

InsideSources

Hailey Gibbs

Stealing From Our Children: Trump’s Dismantling of Head Start Harms Children and Families Past Event

Stealing From Our Children: Trump’s Dismantling of Head Start Harms Children and Families

Join the Center for American Progress for an event about the Trump administration's serious threats to Head Start, leaving its future in peril and thousands of low-income families in fear of what comes next.

Center for American Progress | Online

Executive Summary: Differentiating Between Harmful Child Care Deregulation and Helpful Reform Fact Sheet
A preschooler is lying down on a cot and smiling up at the adult sitting in front of her. Three other children, napping on their respective cots, are in the background.

Executive Summary: Differentiating Between Harmful Child Care Deregulation and Helpful Reform

Instead of rolling back critical child care regulations, policymakers should streamline regulations and reduce administrative burdens that are not directly tied to child health, safety, and quality learning.

Allie Schneider, Hailey Gibbs, Lauren Hogan, 4 More Casey Peeks, Paola Andujar, Maria Estlund, Daniel Hains

A Path Forward on Child Care Regulation: Differentiating Between Harmful Deregulation and Helpful Reform Report

A Path Forward on Child Care Regulation: Differentiating Between Harmful Deregulation and Helpful Reform

States can and should make child care licensing reforms that ease burdens on providers and improve access—but must do so without endangering child health and safety.

Hailey Gibbs, Allie Schneider, Lauren Hogan, 4 More Casey Peeks, Paola Andujar, Maria Estlund, Daniel Hains

5 Things To Know About Head Start Report
A child from the Hyde Park Head Start program plays under a parachute.

5 Things To Know About Head Start

Head Start provides educational, health, nutritional, and social services to hundreds of thousands of young children and their families every year, playing a critical role in the U.S. early care and learning landscape.

Casey Peeks, Allie Schneider

Increased Bipartisan Focus on Child Care Must Lead To Congressional Action Report
Children sled on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol.

Increased Bipartisan Focus on Child Care Must Lead To Congressional Action

CAP analysis finds that the 118th Congress, facing more pressure than ever to address the nation’s child care crisis, oversaw a significant increase in the introduction of bipartisan child care and early learning bills.

Allie Schneider, Erin Grant

Understanding the Basics of Child Care in the United States Article
Children sit on the rug at the TLC for Tots daycare center in Nampa, Idaho, November 20, 2024.

Understanding the Basics of Child Care in the United States

The United States needs real solutions at all levels of government, coupled with robust public investment, to build a child care and early learning system that works for children, families, educators, and providers.

The Early Childhood Policy Team

Head Start funding freeze: The panic was the point In the News

Head Start funding freeze: The panic was the point

In an op-ed published by the Wisconsin Examiner, Casey Peeks discusses Trump’s funding freeze and how it continues to affect Head Start programs across the country.

the Wisconsin Examiner

Casey Peeks

A 2024 Review of Child Care and Early Learning in the United States Report

A 2024 Review of Child Care and Early Learning in the United States

Updated data on child care and early learning in the United States illustrate the urgent need for holistic public policymaking and robust investments that support young children, families, and early educators.

Allie Schneider

A Progressive Vision for Education in the 21st Century Report
A student in graduation robes walks across a stage where an American flag flies.

A Progressive Vision for Education in the 21st Century

This report encompasses key recommendations for strengthening the American education system across early childhood education, K-12 education, higher education, and workforce development.

Jared C. Bass

Pandemic-Era Funding for Early Learning Programs Showcases One of the Most Important Investments the United States Can Make Report
Students sitting on rug with teacher at front

Pandemic-Era Funding for Early Learning Programs Showcases One of the Most Important Investments the United States Can Make

Actions by the Biden-Harris administration and state policymakers illustrate how early learning investments are effective and necessary, paving the way for systemic changes to the country’s child care system.

Hailey Gibbs, Allie Schneider, Bri Crawford, 1 More Casey Peeks

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