The strength of our nation is tied to the strength of our nation’s child care and early learning programs. The health of our nation is tied to the health and well-being of all families. The success of our nation is tied to the recognition of our shared responsibility to give each child a strong start in life, which includes ensuring the early educators who do this essential work as part of a 21st century caregiving and education workforce are valued and supported. A strong, equitable child care and early learning system not only benefits children, families, and early educators, but also keeps women in the workforce, increases racial equity, and strengthens our economy for everyone. 

 For these reasons, the undersigned 183 organizations provide the following recommendations urging the Administration to make child care and early learning a national priority by: 

  • Passing comprehensive COVID relief with substantial and targeted support for child care, HeadStart, and preschool programs; 
  • Including a big, bold proposal to provide affordable high-quality child care and early learning for all in the President’s Budget, and providing mandatory and discretionary funding to achieve the vision; and 
  • Establishing a new senior-level White House position focused on child care and early learning, supporting robust staffing in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Education (ED), and creating a national grassroots advisory council for child care and early learning.