Federal Update: March 2023

March has been a busy month so far when it comes to the federal government and early and elementary education. The past few weeks have seen the release of President Biden’s budget proposal as well as the introduction of a handful of bills that could have a direct impact on the nation’s youngest children. Below is more information about the president’s budget as well as details about legislation worth keeping an eye on.

President Biden’s Budget Proposal

On March 9, President Biden submitted to Congress his proposed budget for fiscal year 2024. The education policy team at New America put together a detailed overview of the budget that touches on topics ranging from early education to higher education and adult learning. The budget request includes important funding increases for federal early care and education programs and calls for a total of $600 billion in mandatory funding over 10 years for child care and pre-K. The budget request includes $22.1 billion for existing early care and education programs, an increase of more than 10 percent from the 2023 enacted level.

A few highlights of the budget items related to early education include:

• $9 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, a nearly $1 billion increase;
• $13.1 billion for Head Start, including over $500 million to boost the pay of Head Start staff, a $1.1 billion increase;
• $360 million for the Preschool Development Grants program, a $45 million increase; and
• $200 billion over 10 years for a federal-state partnership to provide free, high-quality pre-K through a mixed delivery system for four-year-olds throughout the nation.

Another budget item worth noting is the proposal for $500 million for a Preschool Incentive Demonstration Program to be administered by the Department of Education in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services. This program, targeted to children who are eligible to attend Title I schools, would fund school districts to expand access to pre-K in public schools and community-based settings, including Head Start. The program would also help schools improve instructional alignment between pre-K and the early elementary grades that follow, with a specific focus on the transition between pre-K and kindergarten.

With a prolonged fight over the debt ceiling looming and House Republicans demanding billions of dollars in funding cuts, the administration's proposed budget will have a hard time passing Congress. That being said, it's encouraging that the administration continues to make the case for increased federal funding for ensuring access to high-quality pre-K.

Federal Legislation to Watch

There were several bills introduced in Congress in March that are worth paying attention to. Senator Warren (D-MA) introduced the Child Care for Every Community Act with the goal of significantly reducing the cost of child care. I wrote about the details of Warren’s bill here. Essentially, the bill would create a mandatory federal investment to establish a new network of child care and early learning options for children from birth to school age that includes centers and family child care homes. Warren claims the bill would result in half of families paying less than $10 a day for child care. The bill has little chance of gaining the support necessary to pass the House or Senate, but it serves to make clear the vision that progressive Democrats have for the nation’s child care system.

A bipartisan bill that was recently introduced is the Improving Child Care for Working Families Act. Currently, families can set aside up to $5,000 of pre-tax income in a Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP) to pay for child care expenses. The limit has been $5,000 per family per year since 1986, but this bill would raise the cap to $10,500 per family. A companion Senate bill is expected to be introduced in the next few weeks. A similar bill was introduced last Congress and died in committee, so it’s unclear whether the current bill will make it to the floor of the House and Senate for a vote. The bill is endorsed by organizations such as the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Early Care and Education Consortium.

Finally, the Republican majority of the House Education and Workforce Committee voted along party lines to send the Parents Bill of Rights Act to the full House after a 16-hour markup. The bill, seen as a Republican response to parent anger at schools over things like COVID-related school closures and mask and vaccine mandates, echoes similar state bills that have passed in places like Texas, Florida, and Georgia. It amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require schools to provide parents with a variety of information, such as:

• a list of books and other reading materials available in the school library;
• notice of any plan to eliminate gifted and talented programs;
• public disclosure of school district budgets;
• notification of violent activity that occurs on school grounds;
• notification of any change to a student’s gender markers or pronouns;
• public access to any school curriculum that is used; and
• affirms the right of parents to address the school board.

It’s important to note that some of the rights outlined in the bill are already available to parents. For example, schools have been publishing budget data for many years and parents have a basic First Amendment right to address school boards. On the day the bill was introduced, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona published an opinion article that highlighted the importance of parent engagement, but implicitly criticized the Republican bill, stating that, “None of the nearly 10,000 parents with whom my team and I have met since the president took office said they wanted more culture wars or partisan politics in schools.” The Republican-controlled House is expected to pass the bill in the next few days, but it has slim chances of passing the Democrat-controlled Senate.

In direct response to the Parents Bill of Rights Act, House Democrats introduced the Bill of Rights for Students and Parents. The resolution sets forth an inclusive vision for public education built on five pillars:

• a well-rounded education;
• authentic parental involvement;
• responsive and inclusive public schools;
• students’ civil rights; and
• education and democracy.

The resolution has earned the endorsement of dozens of national organizations, including the American Federation of Teachers, NAACP, National Education Association, and National PTA.

We’ll continue to keep you updated on all the latest federal early childhood education news as it unfolds over the next few months.

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