Recent State Policy Advances
Expanded investment. Restructured agencies. New caucuses, committees, and coalitions. Read about all the ways our allies on the front lines are making their state a better place for each and every child to reach their full potential.
State By State:
As Governors Across the Country Reject Summer EBT Funding, Missouri Advocates Win a Reversal
Successful advocacy helped Missouri buck a trend among many Republican governors who opted not to participate the federal Summer EBT program—and helped ensure that children who would have otherwise received food benefits through schools or child care programs continue to receive nutritious meals.
Massachusetts Advocates Turn a Crisis into a Community
In the early, crushing days of Covid, early childhood advocates in Massachusetts began to talk to each other daily on Zoom about making a way through the pandemic. These meetings were small at first, but grew over time. Four years later, “The 9:30 Call” is still happening and has an invite list of more than 2,000. More important, it is now a powerful, statewide conversation and a tool for ongoing and unprecedented advocacy.
Georgia Advocates Use Alliance Responsive Support to Advance Child Welfare Innovation
When a baby or toddler is removed from their family due to alleged maltreatment or neglect, children are often placed in a child welfare system that has not developed policies and practices with the needs of infants and toddlers in mind. In Georgia, early childhood advocates have worked with Alliance responsive support providers to win a solution for this problem—the implementation of an evidence-based court team approach.
In DC and Louisiana, Advocates Unite to Avoid Damaging Funding Cuts
In lean budget times, successful advocacy can often take the shape of avoiding deep cuts or even planned eliminations to vital programs. This year, early childhood advocates in the District of Columbia and Louisiana leveraged grassroots voices and strategic messaging to defend investments in child care programs.
Virginia Coalition Turns Child Care NEXT Lessons into Big Child Care and Early Ed Wins in 2024
Virginia advocates have have turned the Child Care NEXT principles and support into a string of wins for children, including, in the 2024 session, an historic commitment by the governor and legislature that means $1.1 billion will be available for child care services for low to moderate income families over the next two years.
Alabama Advocates Tap Alliance Network for Big Child Care Tax Credit Win
Early Childhood advocates in Alabama are celebrating the creation of a new child care tax credit. As part of a “Working for Alabama” bill package, House Bill 358 provides opportunities for employers, for-profit child care providers, and nonprofit child care providers to apply for funds. The Alabama legislature unanimously passed the bill and the governor signed it into law in May, 2024.
States Playing a Role in Helping Kids Access Inclusive Pre-K
While a mixed delivery system of pre-K has many advantages, it can present significant challenges for students with disabilities when it comes to accessing early childhood special education (ECSE) services, such as those provided by occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists. So across the country, states are looking to improve collaboration between school districts and community partners.
Coalition of Idaho Policy Advocates Wins Support for Renters at the State Level
A multi-sector coalition representing different groups and industries from across the state set out to improve Idaho renter policy. By showing the impact of housing on economic mobility— especially for children—advocates are already making gains.
In Iowa, Conservative Support for Early Care and Education Gains Momentum
In Iowa, a 2024 bill introduced by Republicans in both chambers of the state legislature sought to expand pre-k access for families with lower incomes. Though it did not pass during the session, the movement on pre-k expansion has advocates throughout the state looking ahead to 2025.
Virginia Advocates’ Policy Wins Bring New Support for Children and Kinship Caregivers
For more than five years, advocates in Virginia have been advancing policies to strengthen kinship caregiving in the state and—in the past several years—have had significant success in seeing strong policies implemented. These advances support kinship caregivers and, most important, strengthen care for youth in the foster system.
New Mexico Coalition Wins Guaranteed Income Pilot for Immigrant Families
A coalition of New Mexico advocates recently launched the New Mexico Guaranteed Income Pilot Program for Immigrant Families, an 18-month initiative to address poverty and economic security. The program’s evaluations are showing participating families reporting increases in housing and job security, as well as improved education outcomes for their children.
Michigan Allies Advance Permanent Policy Solutions to Address Maternal Health Equity
Advocates in Michigan continue to fight not only for prevention resources, but for culturally congruent policies and programs aimed squarely at racial disparities in death rates. This includes advocating for an effective perinatal care quality program to be added to the state’s public health code.
