Today, President Biden announced the Build Back Better framework. In response, Diana Rauner, president of Start Early issued the following statement:
“The proposed $400 billion investment in child care, universal preschool and families through the extended Child Tax Credit would make high-quality early learning options affordable and accessible for families who need them, increase compensation and professional development opportunities for the early care and learning workforce, and ultimately create a stronger, more stable and more equitable system that can support the needs of children and families during the years when these investments matter most.
“When you give families and children access to quality early learning and care during their first five years, you can change everything. This is an exciting moment for families, for children, for early childhood professionals and our nation, one that has the potential to create a brighter future for generations to follow.
“Start Early urges Congress to quickly pass these transformational investments.
“As we celebrate this moment, we realize the work to build an early learning and care system that prioritizes families and supports them from before birth through age 5 is not done. Start Early will continue to advocate for policies that put families first, most notably sustaining federal investments in early care and learning and creating a national paid family leave policy to help all families begin their journey on a strong foundation of caring, responsive relationships.”