Data Story

First Five Years Fund works to build support for early learning and childcare programs at the federal level. Committed to increasing access to high-quality programs, we work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to identify federal solutions that work for children, families, and businesses, as well as states and communities.

Each year, First Five Years Fund produces a series of Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets with data to show what federal funding reaches states, how state governments are investing, and how these programs support working families, young children, and local economies. Each fact sheet provides a comprehensive look at childcare and early learning across each of the 50 states and Washington, DC. They contain a multitude of data points, including the need, cost, and reach of childcare and early learning programs. They also provide a rare compilation of the ways funds are allocated across a range of federal and state spending. The data tells the story of childcare challenges across the United States in a straightforward, fact-based, and compelling manner.

A significant portion of the data is derived from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) estimates. The ACS data is essential in calculating the number of children eligible for the federal Child Care & Development Block Grant and Head Start programs, as well as the percentage of eligible children served. ACS data shed light on how, at current funding levels, these programs fail to reach millions of children who are eligible to participate. The data help early learning advocates make the case for support of these programs with the administration, in states, and on Capitol Hill. As such, the fact sheets inform policymakers as they set appropriations levels and consider legislative and regulatory changes.

As we work to make quality childcare and early learning programs more accessible, these flagship publications allow us to provide a respected and accurate resource for information about the reach of federal and state programs serving families with children ages 5 and under.

Outcome

Our fact sheets are widely used on Capitol Hill, among the early learning community, and by national, state, and local press. They also inform policy decisions and advocacy efforts at the state and local level. Since June 2023, they have been accessed at least 16,000 times - being featured in memos from Members of Congress to their colleagues and linked to a number of state and national media outlets including PBS, Vox, the LA Times, and others. 

Locations

50 States and Washington, D.C.

Topics Used

Population by age, poverty status, parental employment

Datasets Used: 1-Year, 5-Year, 1-Year Public Use Microdata Sample