Early Childhood

Quality early education is a game-changer, with a proven track record of reducing educational disparities that would otherwise hold back disadvantaged students. But the high cost of private pre-Kindergarten – about the same as annual tuition at a public university – and insufficient federal investments in Head Start puts quality early education out of reach for millions of children. First Focus advocates a federal-state partnership, modeled on the successful Children’s Health Insurance Program, which would improve both quality and affordability.
Resources
Maternal and Infant Mortality: What Does the Data Tell Us and What Can We Do?
First Focus | November 18, 2019 |
The United States has some of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the developed world and they continue to rise. African-American women …
New principles for child care define vision for high-quality, affordable care
Averi Pakulis | October 10, 2019 |
Child care is one of the greatest multi-taskers that exists – it simultaneously provides both early care and education for our youngest citizens, enables …
Children’s Budget 2019
| September 10, 2019 |
First Focus on Children is proud to introduce the 13th annual release of its signature Children’s Budget publication, a comprehensive analysis of how kids …
Fact Sheet: Babies in the Budget
Rachel Merker (Former Staff) | May 8, 2019 |
Federal spending on Infants and Toddlers in Fiscal Year 2019 Infants and Toddlers represent 3.7 percent of the population, but what is their share …
The FAMILY Act is a Push in the Right Direction
Matt Densford (Former Staff), Campaign for Children | February 13, 2019 |
This week, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) reintroduced The Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act. Almost every worker in …
Recommendation to Rescind Anti-Bias Guidance for School Discipline Will Harm Students and Reduce School Safety
Karen Howard (Former Staff) | December 20, 2018 |
On Tuesday, the Federal School Safety Commission formed in the wake of the tragic school shootings in Parkland, Florida, issued its report with recommendations …
Fact Sheet: Administrative Threats to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Rachel Merker (Former Staff) | October 24, 2018 |
Food insecurity remains a major threat to health and wellbeing of 12.5 million children in America. This means that in 2017, one in six children …
Department of Homeland Security Public Charge Rule Would Increase Child Poverty in the United States
Cara Baldari | October 23, 2018 |
The strength of our economic future is dependent on the well-being of our nation’s children. Yet child poverty remains high in the United States, …
Department of Homeland Security Public Charge Rule Would Make Children Less Healthy
Carrie Fitzgerald | October 16, 2018 |
The Department of Homeland Security released their proposed rule to the public charge section of immigration law in early October. This rule would affect …
Press Release: Share of Federal Spending on Children Has Decreased 1.7 Percent Since FY 2014
Simona Combi (Former Staff) | September 20, 2018 |
Washington, D.C., September 20, 2018—Children received 1.7 percent less of the federal budget in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 than they did in FY 2014, …