How much are states investing in early education? To find out, Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) took a close look at fiscal year (FY) 2026 state funding for child care and preschool. We focused specifically on dollars beyond federally required matching and maintenance of effort (MOE) funds (learn more about federal child care funding). Budget and policy experts from 44 states and Washington, D.C., responded to our survey. This report not only updates our 2025 findings, but also highlights year-over-year trends for states with both 2025 and 2026 data, showing progress and gaps.