Issue

Parents are a baby’s first teacher, but every child needs support along the way — that includes early intervention services for babies and toddlers and high-quality child care, preschool, and pre-K. Unfortunately, the disparities between children of color and children from low-income backgrounds and their White, more affluent counterparts start even at this young age, leaving many families without access to affordable high-quality child care and early childhood education. Equity in child care and early childhood education takes a federal, state, and community commitment.

Ed Trust advocates for better access to high-quality early childhood education and promotes diverse and inclusive early care and learning settings. We believe that expanding child care is crucial to the US economy, and that child care workers — who are disproportionately women of color — deserve equitable pay and support. The American Families Plan, introduced in 2021, promises investments in early childhood education, and allows our country to stand on the precipice of offering universal pre-K. Ed Trust will continue to fight for our nation’s children to receive the strong, healthy start they deserve.