Connecticut Voices for Children has released its annual report, which spotlights the need for investments in early childhood education.
The child advocacy group released “The 2025 State of Early Childhood: A System in Transition” on Monday. The report examines Early Childhood Education (ECE) data from 2014 to 2024, highlighting the growing need for resources. According to the report, in 2024, there was a decade low in the total number of early childcare spaces in the state.
The report outlines the ways the system has struggled to meet demand. CT Voices Executive Director Emily Byrne said advocates have been able to see a suite of policies enacted in the past legislative session. The goal is to sustain funding and policy changes.
“Time will tell whether what Connecticut enacted this year meets the intended promise. Because the ECE system is in transition, it's still very fragile," Byrne said.
The report marked the 2025 legislative session as a pivotal turning point for early childhood in the state. It celebrated the creation of the Early Childhood Education Endowment, the increased funding for the Office of Early Childhood (OEC), Early Care and Education and additional resources for Care 4 Kids.
While there have been some promising improvements this year, Byrne said it is still too early to see the full impact of these changes. She said the new policies could be better sustained if there were also broader policies to support family economic stability.
“The sector's stability depends not only on the implementation of the new policy passed, but also on the broader economic environment as well as the state's tax policy, employment and workforce policy and ability to sustain this investment through the changing fiscal conditions," Byrne said.
It also includes an outline of recommendations to build a more equitable early childhood education system. It suggested that lawmakers supplement new investments with broader policies that support family economic stability
“We view the 2025 state of early childhood report as a stake in the ground. A marker of where Connecticut is today from which we can measure continued progress," Byrne said.
