Early Learning and Development
Promise
Every baby and toddler is nurtured with pre-natal care, early
attachment to mom, a continuum of high-quality, early learning opportunities so they are ready for kindergarten.
Problem
The earliest years of a child’s life are the time of greatest brain
development and opportunity. In 2021, there were only 8.7 million slots in licensed childcare centers and family care programs for 12.3 million children. Center-based child care for an infant costs more than public college tuition in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Black women are three to four times more likely to die from complications surrounding pregnancy and childbirth than White women.
Policy Path
In this zone, CDF will advocate for public policy related to:
(1) Maternal health and wellness, (2) Family Leave, (3) Home visitation, and (4) Quality early learning and development.
Moonshot Generational Commitment
Universal, public, quality pre-K for all young people beginning at three years old.
Learn MoreRelated Updates
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Keeping the Charge
On June 6, Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) celebrates Founder’s Day. This date was chosen to honor the birthday of our founder and president emerita, Marian Wright Edelman.…
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For Our Children: We Owe them Peace of Mind
I spent most of the month of May on the road. From community celebrations with our state office and civil rights partners in New York, to stops on the State of the People Tour in Newark, Detroit, and Richmond, to keynotes and commencement addresses in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Baltimore.…
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Early Childhood
Take Action Today to Oppose SB 1798
If passed, Senate Bill 1798 would amend the Texas Education Code to reclassify students whose presence in the United States is “not authorized under federal statute” as non-residents.…
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Immigration
Tell Your State Representatives to Vote NO on H.B. 1554 and S.B. 1005
If passed, House Bill 1554 and Senate Bill 1005 would endanger children, separate families, and lead to violations of the right to due process by prohibiting public funding for legal services in immigration matters for people who are considered “unlawfully present.”…