While the Minnesota Legislature is in recess and our attention is focused on summer vacations – and the upcoming statewide elections, of course – the U.S. Congress is busy debating the federal budget for the next fiscal year.
Early Childhood Legislation Moving through Congress
A particularly exciting development concerns the Early Learning Challenge Fund (ELCF). As you may remember, the ELCF was under consideration earlier this year, to be funded from reforms to higher education student loans. In the end, the ELCF was left out of student loan reform bill, but with continued pressure from advocates and a commitment from the Obama Administration, positive action is being taken.
Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education of the Committee on Appropriations approved a proposal that would provide $300 million for the Early Learning Challenge Fund. The ELCF would establish a competitive grant process for states to develop comprehensive quality early learning systems for children birth to five, particularly those who are at risk of starting school not fully prepared. Minnesota is well-positioned to apply for this funding, should it pass Congress, given the existing efforts of the Governor's Early Childhood Advisory Council and others. You can learn more about the ELCF from this Ready 4 K Policy Brief.
The bill approved by the subcommittee also includes a $990.3 million increase for Head Start and a $1 billion increase for child care—exceeding the Obama Administration’s request and fully maintaining increased levels of funding secured with federal stimulus dollars. The bill still has a long way to go before it becomes law (it must be approved by the full Appropriations Committee, passed by the Senate and then approved by the House as well), but this is really good news. Neither of Minnesota's Senators serve on the Appropriations Committee. Stay tuned for an action alert when the bill reaches the Senate floor.
