Alaska
Working families in Alaska need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children.
Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Alaska. But too many working families in Alaska are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Alaska economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
There are 59K children ages 5 and under in Alaska – 62% of these children have all available parents in the workforce.
The typical annual cost of child care for an infant in Alaska is around $12,000.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant only reaches 13% of eligible families in Alaska. (This federal program helps low-income parents afford child care.)
On average, child care providers in Alaska earn just $35,950 a year; this can make it a challenge to recruit and retain this workforce, leading to supply issues.
Alaska’s economy loses $305M annually due to child care challenges.
Alaska: In The Headlines
Anchorage’s Hmoob Cultural Center struggles to stay open as child care crisis continues
Alaska Public Media | August 9, 2024
An Anchorage child care provider is trying to figure out how to stay afloat after it opened less than two years ago.
A shortage of child care options on the central peninsula
KDLL | October 14, 2024
According to the Alaska Childcare Market Price Survey Report, the average cost of childcare in the state is $850 a month. This may lead some parents to choose between their career and their child.
Opinion: Millions needed for Alaska’s child care sector
Penninsula Clarion | February 27, 2024
Without public investment, Alaska will continue to witness an inadequate and diminishing supply of child care services.
Alaska Resources & News
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2024 Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets
FFYF’s 2024 State Fact Sheets from 50 states and Washington, D.C. show how federal investments in child care impact working parents, children, and the economy. Federal funding and programs benefit …
Essential Excerpts: Child Care Quotes From The Hill
As we monitored hearings on Capitol Hill this week, it was striking to see how many of them featured the issue of child care. From the House Appropriations Committee to …
2024 CCDBG State Fact Sheets
First Five Years Fund released a new collection of fact sheets from all 50 states detailing how the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) helps families and kids in …
New BPC Report: A Look into Child Care Workforce Licensing Requirements
Every day, early childhood educators play a crucial role in nurturing and shaping the minds of our youngest learners. Yet, the qualifications required for this essential workforce vary drastically across …
FFYF Analysis of 2024 State of the State Addresses
Analysis of 2024 State of the State addresses given by Governors across the country found that child care, early learning, and early childhood received substantial attention across state and party …
Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care & Early Learning in FY2022
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal grants to states to design and operate programs that help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. TANF plays a crucial role in …
How States Are Using PDG B-5 Grants to Support Career Pathways
The BUILD Initiative, ZERO TO THREE, and Start Early, recently released a new brief highlighting the strategies states are using to improve career pathways in their Preschool Development Grant Birth …
FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets
Our new analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that child care and early learning programs have tremendous impacts on young children, their families, and the economy at …
New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program
New analysis of all 50 states and the District of Columbia from First Five Years Fund (FFYF) shows that while the nation’s main federal child care program – the Child …
How CCDBG Benefits Families in Your State
The Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that provides child care assistance to low-income working families with children under age 13. The majority …
Congress Set to Send Home Visiting Bill Honoring Rep. Walorski to President’s Desk
Today, Congress announced that the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022 will be included in the final year-end FY2023 omnibus spending package. The bill to …
U.S. House Passes Key Home Visiting Bill With Resounding Bipartisan Support
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 8876, The Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022, a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the voluntary, evidence-based Maternal, …
FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets
Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal …
Alaska — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Learn About the Positive Impact of MIECHV in Your State
The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides federal funds to states, territories, and tribal entities for voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services. This program was reauthorized in …
FAQ: MIECHV Reauthorization
The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program was reauthorized in 2018 at a funding level of $400 million a year through FY2022 and will expire September 30, …
2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding
FFYF has released the latest iteration of its annual state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made …
Over 160 National and State Child Advocacy Groups Call on Democratic Leaders to Prioritize Child Care & Early Learning Funding in Reconciliation
WASHINGTON – As Congress grapples with many important and competing priorities, more than 160 national, state, and local organizations and child care providers, led by First Five Years Fund (FFYF), …
Alaska — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes
This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …
Alaska: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States
On Monday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) released their 2019 Early Learning Fact Sheets which provide an overview of early learning in each state. As in previous years, CAP’s …
See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care
Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …
Alaska: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
46 States and Territories to Receive Preschool Development Grants
Big news! 46 states and territories have been awarded funding through the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5), a $250 million competitive federal grant designed to improve states’ existing early …
