Sponsors (44)
This is not an official government website.
Copyright © 2026 PLEJ LC. All rights reserved.
Introduced July 15, 2025 by Patty Murray · Last progress July 15, 2025
Creates a major federal child care and early learning package that funds and governs birth-to‑five child care, universal preschool for 3‑ and 4‑year‑olds, multi-year stabilization grants for providers (BASE Grants), and expanded Head Start/full‑day/full‑year options. The bill sets eligibility rules, state plan and reporting requirements, new funding formulas and specific multi‑year appropriations, provider payment and quality rules, workforce compensation goals, and protections like prohibiting expulsions and aversive behavioral interventions. Many provisions take effect starting October 1, 2026, with funding and implementation phased through FY2026–FY2031.
The bill substantially expands and improves access, quality, and workforce pay for early childhood care and preschool—especially for low‑income and underserved families—while imposing large federal costs and new state/provider compliance, funding‑match, and implementation burdens that could strain budgets and disrupt some existing providers.
Low-income families and parents (especially those ≤85% state median income) gain greatly expanded access to subsidized, higher-quality child care and preschool services beginning in 2026, reducing unmet need for care.
Parents and families pay less out-of-pocket because sliding-fee caps and large federal grants expand supply and limit family copayments.
Early childhood educators and Head Start staff see higher pay and clearer career pathways through wage ladders, salary-parity/living-wage requirements, and dedicated wage funds, likely improving retention.
Taxpayers and the federal budget face large, open-ended costs from numerous 'such sums as necessary' authorizations plus multi‑billion annual appropriations, increasing federal outlays and budgetary pressure.
States and localities must cover rising nonfederal shares and meet maintenance‑of‑effort rules over time, which may strain state budgets and force tradeoffs or cuts in other programs.
Significant new administrative, reporting, and compliance burdens (monthly/quarterly data, licensing, applications) fall on States and small providers, raising transition costs and risking reduced provider participation.