Early childhood case short Answer

Guided Notes

Overview of Potential Funding Sources

Improving Public Financing for Early Childhood Programs

The following provides an overview of different funding streams for early childhood programs:

Head Start services are administered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The funding source is a federal grant provided to local grantees. Services provided through this grant include comprehensive child development programming for children who are low income and their families. Funding is available for families with incomes at 100% of the poverty line or 130%, if all families at 100% of the poverty line are served. Children ages 3–5 are served within Head Start, while services of children birth to age 3 are provided within Early Head Start.

Child Care Subsidies, including the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), are administered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This is a federal funding stream which requires state matching. The purpose of these dollars is to provide childcare assistance to families who are low income. Funding is available to working families who have incomes up to 80% of the state median income or who have been identified as needy, according to the state. Children between the ages of birth and 13 can qualify.

Child Care Tax Credits, provided through federal dollars and 28 State Treasury Departments, represent credits for childcare expenditures against federal and state income taxes. The primary result is a reduction in families’ childcare expenses. The families of children who are between the ages of birth and 13 can qualify; credits are based on income level.

Title 1 Preschool is funded through the U.S. Department of Education. These federal funds provide educational services for children who are disadvantaged. Funding is provided to schools where 40% of children are at the poverty level or who have been identified as academically at risk or are in schools where lower percentages of children are at the poverty level.

Early Childhood Special Education is funded through the U.S. Department of Education. These dollars are provided through federal, state, and local funds. Dollars are used to provide special education services for qualified preschool-aged children who have been identified as having disabilities or, at the state's discretion, developmental delays.

State Pre-K is funded through the State Department of Education within 29 states and jointly administered within 11 states. Funds are usually provided from the state with some federal funding. Services are provided to qualifying children, and some health and social services may be provided. Generally, states provide services to children who are identified as being at risk. This is often based on family income.