Child Care Workforce Development Act

This bill would help grow the child care workforce by easing school costs and student debt for early childhood educators. It creates two programs: one to pay down existing student loans for people working as early childhood educators, and another to give grants to students training for these jobs. The loan help can cover up to $6,000 per year for five years, as long as the educator works for a qualified child care employer that accepts or qualifies for child care assistance vouchers .

The student grant program would give up to $4,000 per academic year for people in certificate or associate’s degree programs in early childhood education. In return, recipients must work in a licensed early learning program for at least one academic year after finishing school, plus four extra months for each year their grant was renewed. If they don’t meet this service promise, the grant turns into a no-interest federal student loan that can be repaid on an income-based plan. Work in the field while still in school can count toward the service time. Grant funds can pay tuition, fees, and needed class materials, and the Education Department can pay students directly if their school doesn’t participate .

• Who is affected:
  • Current early childhood educators with student loans; and students in approved certificate or associate’s degree programs in early childhood education .
• What changes:
  • Up to $6,000/year in loan repayment for five years for eligible educators working for qualified child care employers .
  • Grants up to $4,000/year (up to four years total) for students, with a service requirement; grants convert to a no‑interest loan if the service isn’t completed; hardship extensions up to one year are possible .
• When:
  • The grant program must start within 180 days of enactment. Funding is authorized at $25 million per year for the loan repayment program (FY 2026–2031) and $10 million per year for the student grants (FY 2026–2030), with a small cap on administrative costs .