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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. 

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.

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Alliance for Early Success Early Childhood State Policy Advocacy

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.

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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.

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Kentucky Early Childhood Policy

In Effort to Entice Child Care Staff, More States Follow Kentucky’s Lead

While Kentucky was the first state to make child care staff automatically eligible for subsidies, about a dozen states have followed the lead of the Bluegrass State and either implemented a similar policy or are actively considering it. It is estimated that about 234,300 child care workers with children under the age of six and 294,000 children would benefit from the Kentucky model if all 50 states plus D.C. implemented a similar policy.

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Massachusetts Shows the Power of a Big, Trust-Based Coalition 

In Massachusetts, early childhood advocates across the state are collaborating like never before to build a new, stronger early childhood system. This historic project, called The Early Childhood Agenda, is a first-of-its-kind effort to bring together “hundreds of parents, providers, advocates, and community partners to discuss the state’s pressing early childhood challenges and propose effective, family-centered, sustainable solutions.”

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