The President’s FY27 Budget Proposal
Earlier this year, the President released his FY27 budget request to Congress, kicking off the annual appropriations process. This budget request failed to address the growing needs of children, families, and providers and put several key child care and early learning programs at risk. The President's budget proposed eliminating both the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) and Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) programs, while providing flat funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Head Start/Early Head Start.
The President's FY27 budget included:
- $8.831 billion for CCDBG, level-funded at FY26 levels
- $12.357 billion for Head Start and Early Head Start, level-funded at FY26 levels
- Elimination of PDG B-5, a reduction of $315 million
- Elimination of CCAMPIS, a reduction of $75 million
Congress Must Go Beyond the President’s FY27 Child Care Proposal
Where We Are Now: The House Labor-HHS Bill
On June 9th, the House Appropriations committee voted to advance their Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) FY27 appropriations bill (H.R.9260). The bill includes modest funding increases for CCDBG and Head Start/Early Head Start, which would help families access affordable child care and early learning while supporting children's development. The House rejected the Administration's proposed elimination of CCAMPIS, level-funding the program at FY26 levels. But the bill does eliminate PDG B-5, matching the President's budget. PDG B-5 has helped states coordinate early childhood systems, strengthen family engagement, and support kindergarten transitions. Its elimination raises real questions about states' capacity to keep that work going.
Under the House proposal:
- CCDBG would receive $8.841 billion, a $10 million increase above FY26
- Head Start and Early Head Start would receive $12.367 billion, a $10 million increase above FY26
- PDG B-5 would be eliminated
- CCAMPIS would be level funded at $75 million
What This Means and What’s Next
The House appropriations committee approving their bill represents an important step in the appropriations process, but it is far from the final word. The Senate has yet to release and consider its own Labor-HHS funding bill, and significant differences between the chambers could emerge in the months ahead.
As the FY27 appropriations process continues, the decisions made in the coming months will determine whether Congress maintains support for these programs.
Child Care Aware® of America urges Congress to make even more robust investments in child care and early learning programs than proposed, so that families can find care they can afford and get to work, providers can make ends meet and stay in the field, and businesses and communities can grow.
Take Action
Let’s make sure Congress goes further than the House proposal and makes meaningful investments in child care and early learning.
