Overview

Co-authored by RAND, the Center for Early Learning Funding Equity, Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies, and Child Trends, this brief explores how cost and financing studies can help policymakers design early childhood care and education systems that are affordable for families, financially sustainable for providers, and supported by adequate public investment. Drawing on examples from across the country, the brief outlines a system-level approach to understanding the true cost of high-quality early care and education and the funding strategies needed to support it.