Promoting family economic security and mobility requires collaboration across key systems that serve families. This report describes opportunities for the early childhood and higher education systems to support each other's key goals for system advancements to increase economic mobility among America's families. It provides examples of early…

Almost one in four (3.9 million) students who are enrolled in postsecondary education programs in the United States are also raising a dependent child (Miller, Gault, and Thorman, 2011). These parents are preparing themselves to compete in an American economy in which high skill levels are required to earn a wage sufficient to support a family…

State child care policies can promote the quality and continuity of early childhood experiences and foster the healthy growth and development of babies and toddlers in all child care settings, especially if they are informed by research. The quality of the relationship between children and those who care for them influences every aspect of young…

A growing number of state leaders believe that it is essential to expand high-quality early learning and development opportunities for all young children before they reach kindergarten. A key component of this strategy is providing access to voluntary, high-quality pre-kindergarten programs, especially for low-income children. Over the last few…

Comprehensive early care and education policies that start at birth have the potential to identify health and developmental issues, link families to necessary supports, and assure that those who care for very young children have the tools to stimulate healthy child development. A growing number of states are interested in helping the educational…

State pre kindergarten programs have grown dramatically in the last two decades, and much more attention is being paid to the school readiness of children. Six states, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Wisconsin have policies in place or a goal to move toward universal access to pre kindergarten, and other state leaders…

States are using federal and state dollars to expand child care assistance for low-income families. Nevertheless, persistent gaps in child care supply continue, particularly among specific populations. State expansion of child care funding has slowed, and most states face major fiscal crises. Many states have moved to all- or majority-voucher…

State child care policies--including licensing, subsidy, and quality enhancement strategies--can promote the quality and continuity of early childhood experiences and foster the healthy growth and development of babies and toddlers in child care settings, especially if they are informed by research. One of the policy levers states may use to…

In order to achieve the expectations for children's learning stipulated by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, greater attention needs to be given to child care policy and funding. This report details a study examining strategies in seven states that have integrated early education program standards in child care, by directly tying standards to…

The Southern Institute has commissioned the Center for Law and Social Policy to examine whether federal law prevents states from adopting coordinated child absence policies for their Head Start and CCDF/TANF-funded (Child Care and Development Fund/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) child care collaborative projects. The issue relates to one…

The two principal federal funding streams available to states for provision of child care services are the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant structure. Noting that funds from both of these can be used for child care and early education initiatives, this report summarizes what…

This document is comprised of four Center for Law and Policy articles dealing with federal child care subsidies. The first discusses the proposed welfare reauthorization that includes an increase in Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funding and an increase in the amount states can transfer from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families…

This document summarizes and compares selected child care and early education provisions in current law and a set of major Congressional proposals addressing reauthorization and early education as of September 24, 2002: (1) the Administration's Early Childhood Initiative; (2) the final TANF reauthorization bill as passed in the House; (3) the…

This document is comprised of presentation slides for overhead projection summarizing federal funding for child care since the 1996 changes in welfare and child care laws, and the status of reauthorization. The first slide provides a presentation overview; the remaining sheets cover the following: (1) two main sources of federal funds for…

Across the country, states are developing more unified and comprehensive education systems for young children. The authors of this article outline seven features that help connect various early education programs across a state. First, supportive governance ensures that all parts of an early care and education system complement, rather than…