From Children First (http://www.childrenfirstpa.org):
Investments in child care are crucial to both the economy and our children. Luckily today, we have a real opportunity to boost this critical resource in the must-pass end-of-year federal spending bill being negotiated right NOW!
Contact your U.S. senators and congressperson at https://secure.everyaction.com/UGrxynntvUqod9ZDnKAEpA2 to urge them to make early learning a priority in this bill!
Parents with young children struggle to find and afford high-quality child care that meets their needs; the COVID pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges. The American Rescue Plan was a lifeline for the child care sector, but continued investments in federal child care and early learning programs are critical to help the industry long-term. These important investments support children’s healthy development, learning, and school readiness, while also supporting parents’ ability to work.
Join us in demanding Congress make the following investments on the federal level:
- an additional $6.17 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) for a total of $12.3 billion so states can invest in their child care infrastructure for longer-term recovery needs,
- an additional $4.4 billion for Head Start for a total of $15.4 billion, with $1 billion for expansion of Head Start, $596 million for cost-of-living adjustment to retain child care workers, $2.5 billion for workforce compensation realignment, $262 million for local improvement priorities, and $10 million to help develop the most effective and appropriate staff for American Indian/Alaska Native programs,
- $435.7 million for early intervention services provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and $105 million for preschool special education services, and
- an additional $210 million for the Preschool Development Grants Birth through Five for a total of $500 million to increase the quality and efficiency of existing early learning programs and systems across the country.
Thank you for taking action today on this critical investment for families and the economy!
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