Florida, like all states, has a unique early childhood policy landscape that is shaped by economics, demographics, political history, coalitions, and other factors that create a state-specific environment for policy advocacy.
State early childhood policy progress is dependent both on the state’s environment and the numerous efforts—by the organizations listed on this page, other organizations, parents, policymakers, practitioners, and more—who work both independently and collaboratively to achieve wins for young children.
Research shows that family economic security is foundational to children’s overall wellbeing. Research also shows that widespread disparities in opportunity (especially by race) drive wide disparities in outcomes. States with policies that offer strong support to young children and their families are more likely to see 1) declining numbers of children in low-income households and 2) low racial disparity among those children.
Young Children in Low-Income Households: Declining
Approximately 41% (826,000) of the state’s children 0-8 live in households below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (2022). This number represents a decrease from 48% (957,000) in 2017.1
Racial Disparity Among Young Children Living in Low-Income Households: High
Black, Hispanic/Latino, and/or Native children aged 0-8 are significantly more likely to be living in households below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level than are Asian and non-Hispanic White children.2
Largest Revenue Sources (after federal transfers):4
Charges are public payments connected with a specific government service, such as tuition paid to a state university, payments to a public hospital, or highway tolls. Florida does not levy an individual income tax.
State Budget Rules:4
Florida uses an annual budget. The legislature must pass a balanced budget, but it can carry a deficit over into the following year. Florida further limits annual revenue growth with a budget rule based on personal income. This is a binding rule that requires a legislative supermajority or vote of the people to override. After voters approved Amendment 5 in 2018, Florida now also requires a two-thirds supermajority vote in each chamber of the state legislature for legislation containing any new tax or fee or any increase to an existing tax or fee. There are also limits on total authorized debt and debt service incurred by the state.
Political Alignment: Aligned Republican
During the 2024 session, the state’s Senate and House were both Republican controlled. The state’s Governor was also a Republican.5
Since 1946, Florida state law has allowed for the creation of special local taxing districts that dedicate their revenue to funding child-and-youth services or early childhood supports. Once created by local voters, taxpayers pay a portion of their property taxes to a local Children’s Service Council that administers the funds.
Types of Common Ballot Measures Available:6 Seven
Early Childhood Policy Advocacy Organizations Include:
Early Childhood Policy Advocacy Multi-State Initiatives Include:7
Highlights from the state’s early childhood policy advocacy community include:8
Florida’s child care subsidy program is called School Readiness and, in 2024, the house speaker championed an extension of the subsidy with general revenue dollars, so enrolled families can continue to participate up to 100% of the state median income. Created by HB 1267, it has been named School Readiness Plus and a $23 million allocation was passed in the first year.
A new early learning tax credit was established for employers who subsidize child care costs for their employees (up to $300/month) or create on-site child care options (a portion of startup costs can be claimed). The size of the credit for startup costs depends on the number of employees in the organization, and small businesses are able to claim larger credits. Given how few businesses in Florida actually pay corporate tax, this credit also includes other taxes such as insurance tax, alcohol tax, and the food and beverage tax. Originally proposed in a broader early learning bill (HB 635), portions of the bill were taken up in the larger taxation package (HB 7073) that has now been signed by the Governor.
Florida created a new formula for determining reimbursement rates for School Readiness that better aligns to the cost of care and allocated $46.4 million to raise rates so that no children would have to be disenrolled with the change. First proposed HB 929 and SB 916, the policy specific to rate increases was taken up in the budget conforming bill HB 5101, with new rates published in an accompanying conference report. Many counties saw significant increases to their rates with this change.
The Children’s Movement of Florida, our lead ally in the state, is a leading voice on early childhood issues in Florida, advocating for the policies and investments that help each child thrive in their first five years: amplifying the voices of parents and educators; engaging elected officials; and highlighting the role of business leaders. The Movement chairs the state’s Early Learning Consortium, a collaboration of state-level organizations working to ensure that policies for young children from birth to kindergarten effectively support their growth, development, and readiness for success in school and life; and leads The Future Project, a collaboration with parents, educators, and others to create and implement an actionable roadmap for the future of early learning policy and funding in Florida.
Children’s Movement of Florida is working to advance early childhood policies in several areas that align with the Alliance’s birth-through-eight policy framework:
Child Care
Child Care Workforce
Pre-School and Pre-K
Early Intervention
Maternal Health
Infant & Child Health
Family Economic Security
Early Childhood Governance
The Children’s Movement of Florida collaborated with statewide partners to advocate for an increase in quality and accountability to the state’s pre-k system. During the 2021 legislative session with bipartisan support, Florida passed the Early Learning and Early Grade Success bill.
NOTES:
1 Kids Count Data Center, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Children Ages 0 to 8 Below 200 Percent Poverty, January, 2024.
2 National Center for Children in Poverty, Children Ages 0 to 8 Below 200 Percent Poverty, March 2023, NCCP analysis of ACS 1-Year Estimates – Public Use Microdata Sample 2021.
3 National Association of State Budget Officers, Proposed and Enacted Budgets, FY 2025.
4 Urban Institute, State Fiscal Briefs, June 2024.
5 National Conference of State Legislatures, 2024 State & Legislative Partisan Composition, April 29, 2024.
6 Ballotpedia, Ballot Measures by State, Kids Count Data Center, retrieved July, 2024.
7 Alliance for Early Success, Multi-State Initiatives for Early Childhood Policy Advocacy, July, 2024.
8 Alliance for Early Success, State-Wide Advocacy Highlights Survey, April-October, 2024; and 2024 Prenatal-to-3 Legislative Highlights, Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, July, 2024.
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© 2024 Alliance for Early Success
The Alliance for Early Success does not endorse or advocate for specific legislation or candidates.
