House Approves Critical Funding Increases for Federal Early Childhood Education Programs, Child Care

UPDATE: On July 31, the House of Representatives voted to pass the FY2021 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) appropriations bill as part of H.R. 7617, a six-bill bundle of appropriations legislation.

UPDATE: On July 13, the House Appropriations Committee voted to pass the FY2021 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) appropriations bill.

Late Monday afternoon, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies released its FY2021 funding bill, which provides funding for many of the core federal early childhood education programs, including the Preschool Development Grant Program, Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Program, and Head Start and Early Head Start. Similarly to last year, the appropriations bill, scheduled for subcommittee markup on Tuesday, July 7, includes vital funding increases for these early learning programs.

Proposed FY2021 funding levels include:

• $5.9 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program
  • Increase of $100 million over FY2020
• $10.76 billion for the Head Start program, including Early Head Start
  • Increase of $150 million over FY2020
• $300 million for Preschool Development Grants Birth through Five
  • Increase of $25 million over FY2020

Following subcommittee markup, the full Appropriations Committee is expected to consider the bill as early as next week. Additionally, the Senate is expected to introduce FY2021 appropriations legislation in the coming weeks, and FFYF will provide an update when it is released.

FFYF compiled the various “Dear Colleague” letters to FY2021 appropriations in support of increased funding for early childhood education. This year there were 6 letters in total that garnered 279 signatures, including a record 47 Republicans in the House, calling for greater funding for early learning and care programs in FY2021 appropriations.

FFYF looks forward to working closely with bipartisan members of the House and Senate to ensure the final FY2021 appropriations legislation includes robust funding increases for early learning and care programs to support children and families.