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This bill — the Universal Child Care and Early Learning Act — would fund a system of locally-run, affordable, high-quality childcare programs. It would mandate federal investment in childcare, ensure that families below 200% of the poverty get free childcare and ensure that all families would spend no more than 7% of their incomes on childcare.

Specifically, this bill would:

Ensure universal access to childcare: This plan would create a mandatory federal investment to establish and support a network of locally-run Child Care and Early Learning Centers and Family Child Care Homes so that every family, regardless of their income or employment, could access high-quality, affordable childcare options for their children from birth to school entry.
Guarantee affordability: Families below 200% of the federal poverty line (about $51,500 for a family of four) could access these childcare options at no cost. Families with higher incomes would pay a subsidized fee based on their income, as in the military childcare program. No family would pay more than 7% of their income for these public childcare options.
Provide high-quality, essential developmental services: Centers and Family Child Care Homes would be required to meet high quality standards based on current U.S. military childcare and the Head Start program standards. Providers would receive support and time to meet new requirements, which would focus on early learning and social-emotional development. Like Head Start, the program would offer a full range of comprehensive mental and physical health, dental, and other services to children who need them in a safe and nurturing environment that promotes children’s holistic growth and development.
Be locally-administered and federally-supported: As originally envisioned in the Comprehensive Child Development Act of 1971, the federal government would partner with sponsors —states, counties, cities, school districts, tribal organizations, or other nonprofit community entities — to administer the program in a way that prioritizes local community needs and coheres early childhood systems. These sponsors would act as local “hubs” by establishing networks of Child Care and Early Learning Centers and Family Child Care Homes options for families, mirroring options currently available to military families.
Invest in childcare workers: The plan would require that compensation (wages and benefits) for childcare workers be comparable to those of similarly-credentialed local public school teachers. It would also invest in worker training and professional development modeled after the military childcare program.
Include pre-Kindergarten educational services: The network of Centers and Family Child Care Homes would provide pre-K curriculum and educational services for children before they enter school. This bill would also incentivize states and cities to expand their investments in early childhood education.
Build on existing programs: The plan would fully integrate Head Start providers to create a unified system for families that serves the needs of all children currently eligible for Head Start services. It would also maintain the Child Care and Development Fund to help low-income families access other care options, including extended hours and afterschool care for children up to age 13.
Establish Universal Child Care without increasing the deficit: After accounting for the economic impacts of this proposal, Moody’s Analytics estimates that this program would cost the federal government approximately $70 billion per year or $700 billion over 10 years. Senator Warren’s proposed Ultra-Millionaire tax is projected to raise nearly four times that amount of revenue over the same period. Therefore, if Congress funded this program using revenue from Senator Warren’s proposed Ultra- Millionaire Tax, this program would increase productivity and labor force participation without raising the deficit.

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Frederick

Should the Feds Provide Free Childcare for Needy Families & Subsidize Childcare Costs for Others?