Overview

This Strategy Spotlight Series envisions a financing structure that is simpler for programs, better for children, and fairer to communities. It builds on the National Academies’ report, Transforming the Financing of Early Care and Education, and recommends next steps in alignment with the federal agencies’ 2024 “Dear Colleague” letter urging states and communities to develop more robust mixed delivery systems. A more responsive financing structure will not eliminate the need for additional funds to achieve universal access to high quality services. It will, however, serve as the infrastructure for informed, effective use of existing funds and for future growth.

This Strategy Spotlight Series includes four spotlights, as noted below:

• Spotlight #1: Fragmented Funding = Fragmented Results
• Spotlight #2: Building the Structure for a Unified Funding Strategy
• Spotlight #3: Using the State-Local Structure to Reveal Community Strengths and Needs
• Spotlight #4: Braiding and Coordinating Funds for Strategic Impact

We will be releasing each Spotlight on a biweekly basis. Stay tuned for the rest!