On May 30th, the Trump Administration released their proposed FY26 Discretionary Budget Request, kicking off the FY26 appropriations process and suggesting significant shifts and cuts in federal spending priorities. The President’s budget request is only a set of recommendations to Congress as they ultimately make decisions about how to fund discretionary programs, however it does provide valuable insights into the administration's key priorities and aims to shape congressional decision-making.
For the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where many child care and early leaning programs sit, the budget request is proposed at 93.8 billion dollars, a 26.2% total reduction. The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), Head Start, and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) are level-funded at FY25 levels—meaning that those programs would not see cuts or increases in FY26. Earlier this year, Congress passed a continuing resolution to keep the government funded through the rest of FY25, generally at FY24 levels. Therefore, level-funding for FY26 would mean the same amount of funding for these programs as in both FY24 and FY25, failing to even account for inflation.
There are also some proposed policy changes to Head Start within this budget request. The budget requests $12.3 billion to fund an estimated 675,000 slots. It proposes a set of reform principles that aim to increase parental choice, enhance and prioritize efficiency, promote parental engagement, and improve health, education, and employment outcomes. There is also an emphasis on working with grantees to better manage funds, remove DEI, and reduce improper payments to increase financial accountability. No additional details on these changes have been provided.
The proposed budget proposal consolidates Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) programs into a Grants to States program. IDEA programs support early intervention services for young children. The budget also eliminates the Preschool Development Grant Birth-5 (PDG) program, which helps states enhance and streamline their early learning programs; the Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS) program; the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which supports afterschool programs; and other education programs, which means that the child care system as a whole would face reduced funding in FY26.
CCAoA released a statement on President Trump’s budget, recognizing the importance of preserving funding for CCDBG and Head Start, while also calling out that level funding still limits the potential of these programs to serve all eligible families.
The CARE Coalition, comprised of 146 major early education advocacy organizations, recently asked Congress to build upon past federal support in FY26 to ensure more children and families receive access to the high-quality services they need. Specifically, this national community has urged Congress to provide an additional $3.65 billion for CCDBG (a total of at least $12.4 billion) and an additional $2.64 billion for Head Start (a total of at least $14.91 billion).
There is support in Congress to provide additional funding for child care and early learning programs. Each year, Members of Congress submit letters requesting robust funding for these programs. For FY26, 285 Members of Congress called for increased funding for federal child care and early learning programs, including 238 Democrats and 47 Republicans.
Next up—the House Appropriations Committee is currently marking up FY26 spending bills up until the August recess. The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over child care and early learning spending, is not expected to take action until next month.
The Senate's activity is expected to align with the House’s once spending levels are finalized. The deadline for Congress to pass all FY26 appropriations bills is September 30, 2025, when FY25 funding runs out. If agreements are not made by then, it’s possible to see additional continuing resolutions that extend current funding levels for short- or long-term periods as negotiations continue.
Take Action
If the President’s budget request is adopted by Congress, the funding cuts to the early learning system would further reduce parents’ options to find safe, affordable care for their children. Congressional leaders need to ensure the recommendations in this budget request are not reflected in the FY26 funding legislation they pass.
It is a critical time to urge Congress to continue its bipartisan record of investing in federal child care and early learning programs that support children’s healthy development and school readiness and parent’s ability to work, train, or pursue education. Robust sustained investments in these programs are crucial to ensuring more eligible children and families receive access to the high-quality services they need.
Take action and contact your Member of Congress below: