The Alliance for Early Success is a 50-state resource for early-childhood advocates as they pursue the big, sustained impact that will ensure every child in every state, birth through age eight, has an equal chance to grow, learn, and succeed.
Learn how the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families (CCF) is helping Alliance advocates navigate HR1 Medicaid work reporting requirements through policy analysis, implementation guidance, research, and state tracking resources that support children and families.
In April 2026, Iowa took a major step toward strengthening its child care workforce.
After a three-year advocacy effort, Governor Kim Reynolds signed legislation making Child Care Assistance permanent for child care workers, regardless of income. The change gives providers a reliable tool to recruit and retain staff while helping more families access the care they need.
Colorado has become the first-in-the-nation to expanded its paid family and medical leave program to include paid NICU-specific leave. The benefit became available in January of 2026.
In fall 2025, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was suddenly threatened during the federal government shutdown, when the federal administration halted payments. In response, Rhode Island advocates leveraged Alliance responsive support to help backfill SNAP cuts with state TANF funds.
Alliance allies often request information from peers in the network through the Listserv. Recently, our advocates in Maine recently asked their peers for state examples where “there has been policy or investment initiatives made that bring together housing and child care.” This question prompted many responses and perspectives, showcasing the unique expertise within the Alliance Network.
The Alliance for Early Success has released it’s annual report on state early childhood policy progress, and it shows—while headwinds are increasing—early childhood advocates are working together and adding capacity to get hard-fought wins for young children and their families.
Advocates in the state’s Growing Our Future coalition have won their fight for the Family Affordability Tax Credit, which will put more money into the hands of families and help cut the child poverty rate in Colorado in half.
FIELD NOTES | By Helene Stebbins | As state policymakers work to address the huge budget shortfalls created by the federal government’s enactment of H.R. 1, state early childhood policy advocates are the next line of defense. And they need big investments in capacity to get the job done.
Rx Kids, the nation’s first citywide cash assistance program for families, started in Flint and is spreading across Michigan. Proponents across the political spectrum agree the program gives parents choices, builds trust, reduces stigma, and eliminates administrative barriers.
Alliance for Early Success convenings, connections, and community fueled the Bright Start Tennessee Dashboard–Tennessee advocates’ new, highly tailored early childhood data portal. Now that each of the Bright Start regions has access to the regularly updated dashboard, they’re better equipped to measure progress and champion state policies with regional and local data.
