Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) was in West Hartford on Thursday to announce the first openings under his new pre-K plan for low-income families.
The Universal Childcare Endowment has been viewed as a major policy win for the Lamont administration and the legislators who championed it. Some advocates are concerned lawmakers will rest on their laurels next session, at a time when the sector needs increased support.
The fund is expected to pay for low-income families to send their kids to pre-K. By 2027, families enrolled in the program making up to $100,000 a year are expected to pay nothing for childcare.
It’s called Early Start CT.
“Over time, we're going to be able to make sure that every single one of our young families starts out earning up to $100,000, with no cost [for care],” Lamont said. “Make sure your kid gets the very best head start in life.”
However, the end of COVID relief funding from the American Rescue Plan Act is leaving another state-funded program that helps pay for child care, Care 4 Kids, strapped for cash.
As of Sept. 4, more than 3,300 families, 4,403 children, were on the waitlist for Care 4 Kids, according to the state Office of Early Childhood. The program has expanded significantly under the Lamont administration, but the need for child care has, too.
Outgoing OEC Commissioner Beth Bye said the new endowment would ultimately take pressure off Care 4 Kids, freeing up space for more families to benefit.
But, she added, it’s not a total solution.
“There's no doubt that there's a bigger need for childcare at this moment than we can meet,” Bye said. “But Care 4 Kids has never seen an expansion like this, and what that means is, more families know it's open. More families apply. More childcare providers get their families to apply. So that's a good thing.”
Allyx Schiavone, director of Friends Center for Children and a national childcare advocate, said the endowment is undoubtedly a good start. But, she said, lawmakers shouldn’t hang their hats on it.
“We have made transformational change in our state, and that can be true, while at the same time, we're not doing enough,” Schiavone said. “It's really about decision makers continuing to push and make sure that our families and our children who need it most get what they need.”
Schiavone said that could include aligning families on the Care 4 Kids waitlist with Early Care CT spots, eliminating rent for center-based providers, and helping teachers pay for housing (as her organization has done).
“I think there's true commitment from decision makers and from advocates and from the community,” Schiavone said. “It's just going to be about ensuring that it remains a priority. That's part of our work as advocates. We're in the triathlon. We've run the two legs. If we stop now, all that training, all that work, all that effort, is gone.”
WSHU asked Lamont if he was worried about the impact of federal cuts to childcare on the program, which isn't funded by federal cash but could compensate for cuts to other childcare programs that were.
“Look, here's the deal. We do what we can do, and that's what this endowment is all about,” Lamont said. “These are thousands of kids that we'll be able to take care of. If the White House wants to cut Head Start, we keep doing what we're doing, there'll be a few less kids who are covered.”
“Washington's going one direction, we're going the other,” Lamont said. “Trying to do everything we can to expand opportunity and affordability, starting with childcare for each and every one of our kids.”
