By Alyssa Fortner 

CLASP applauds the passage of the FY2023 omnibus spending package with increased investments in key child care and early education programs. The package includes over $2.8 billion in combined increases for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCBDG), Head Start, and the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDGB5). The investment in CCDBG is 30 percent above FY2022, while the investments in Head Start and the PDGB5 are both 9 percent above FY2022. Notably, however, the package leaves out other crucial investments in programs that also support families with low incomes, such as extending the Child Tax Credit (CTC) expansions passed under the American Rescue Plan Act and strengthening comprehensive nutrition supports for young children. 

The omnibus includes the following investments in programs that support young children and their families in accessing high-quality, affordable child care and early education: 

• $8 billion in total funding for CCDBG, $1.9 billion above FY2022. CCDBG provides states with funding to support families with low incomes through financial assistance in accessing child care.  
• $12 billion in total funding Head Start, $960 million above FY2022. Head Start helps young children in families with low incomes succeed in school through a variety of supports for the whole family.  
• $315 million in total funding for the PDGB5, $25 million above FY2022. The PDGB5 provides grants to support early childhood services in states and territories.  
• $420 million in total funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B, $10 million above FY2022. Part B ensures that all children with disabilities have access to free appropriate public education, including preschool grants for states to ensure that young children can access special education and related services.  
• $540 million in total funding for IDEA Part C, $44 million above FY2022. Part C provides states with funding to support early intervention programs for infants and toddlers.  
• $75 million in total funding for Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS), $10 million above FY2022. CCAMPIS supports parents with low incomes who are engaged in postsecondary education afford and access campus-based child care services.  

The package also includes reauthorization of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program through the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act. The Act doubles funding for MIECHV over five years, doubles the tribal set-aside to address inequities with the American Indian and Alaska Native communities, authorizes virtual visits, enhances financial management and oversight, eases administrative burdens, and dedicates funds to retain the home visiting workforce.  

CLASP and partners have tirelessly advocated for these important increases for children and families. We applaud Congress for the passage of this spending package. These investments show Congress’s commitment to improving child care and early education programs, and we look forward to continuing to advocate for large, sustained investments for the field in 2023 and beyond.