Child Care for Every Community Act
The Child Care for Every Community Act aims to establish universal, community-driven child care and early learning programs for all eligible young children. It creates an entitlement, funded largely by the federal government, so that every eligible child can participate in high-quality, full-day, full-year care and early education. Programs would be designed and operated at the community level by designated prime sponsors (such as states, localities, tribes, or nonprofit organizations) with strong requirements for family involvement, equity, and coordination with health, nutrition, and other supports. The bill also builds on existing models like Head Start and military child care, and it sets up a framework for funding, governance, and continuous quality improvement. Key features include a high federal cost share (generally at least 90%, with 100% for migrant/seasonal farmworker families and for Native American/Native Hawaiian children), a non-federal share that can include family fees up to 7% of family income, and a detailed requirements package for prime sponsors to submit comprehensive annual plans. The act emphasizes inclusivity (serving dual language learners, homeless children, children with disabilities, etc.), strong oversight, and local decision-making with substantial parental and community input.
Key Points
- 1Universal entitlement and community-driven design
- 2- Every eligible child is entitled to participate in a universal child care and early learning program, with decisions about program design made at the community level and involving parents and local stakeholders.
- 3Federal financial structure and shared costs
- 4- The federal government generally pays at least 90% of program costs for covered children; migrant/seasonal farmworker and Native American/Native Hawaiian children may receive 100% federal funding. Non-federal shares may come from public or private funds, including family fees capped at 7% of family income.
- 5Prime sponsors and designation process
- 6- Eligible entities (states, localities, tribes, tribal organizations, nonprofits) can be designated as prime sponsors to run programs. Approval requires community input, regional coordination, and regulatory standards; there are two application review phases with priority for serving high-need populations.
- 7Comprehensive plans and service requirements
- 8- Prime sponsors must submit annual, comprehensive plans detailing needs assessments, target populations, strategies to expand access and improve quality, health and nutrition supports, inclusive practices, nonstandard hours, anti-suspension/expulsion policies, and family and community engagement.
- 9Governance, accountability, and workforce provisions
- 10- The act envisions robust governance including parental and staff participation, and allows prime sponsors to negotiate wages and working conditions. It also requires ongoing compliance with program standards, coordination with related services, and maintenance-of-effort protections to prevent cuts in existing services.