Overview

We can’t talk about how equitable our system is until we know where the money actually goes.

That’s why we follow the money by geography, program type, and needs of children served to understand what funding approaches build the most equitable ECEC system.

We are raising awareness of the need for standard metrics and accountability structures for ECEC funding equity. We are building the empirical research base for understanding the impact of funding mechanism choice on the equity and adequacy of ECEC funding. And we are moving beyond single-funding-stream analyses to determine how funding streams perform in the complex integrated system in which they co-exist. When we can map how ECEC funding structures work across multiple states, we have the understanding we need to develop equitable metrics and truly hold governing and finance systems accountable for meeting the needs of children and families.