A Statement from Child Care Aware® of America on the President’s FY2027 Budget Proposal
At a time when families, businesses, and policymakers across party lines agree that child care is essential—and that too many families can’t afford it and can’t find it—the President’s FY2027 budget proposal does not go far enough to meet the need. While it largely maintains current funding levels for key programs like the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Head Start, it also proposes eliminating and reducing programs that families rely on to make ends meet and access care.
“Families are already stretched thin. They can’t find care they can afford, and providers can’t make the numbers work,” said Susan Gale Perry, Chief Executive Officer of Child Care Aware® of America. “Holding funding flat when families and providers are already struggling isn’t enough—it means we continue to fall behind. Families need real solutions, and they need them now.”
The proposal includes the elimination of Preschool Development Grants B-5 and the Child Care Means Access for Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program, as well as changes to afterschool and summer learning funding through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program. It also includes concerning cuts to programs that support families’ basic needs, including the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
The President’s budget is a starting point—but Congress must lead.
“Child care only works when all of us invest—federal and state governments, businesses, and families,” Perry said. “Congress has the opportunity—and the responsibility—to meet this moment. That means rejecting cuts and making meaningful investments so families can afford care, providers can stay open, and communities can thrive.”
Child Care Aware® of America urges Congress to go beyond the President’s proposal and increase investments in child care and early learning—so 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.
