By Tiffany Ferrette, Diane Girouard, Maria Estlund, Rachel Wilensky, Alisha Saxena, and Karen Schulman

This resource summarizes the changes required or encouraged in the final CCDF rules and outlines encouragements to consider. We focus on requirements and encouragements and do not cover every aspect of the final rule, such as technical changes and clarifications on background checks and other provisions. However, we have provided examples from states that have already implemented key requirements as well as other information to support state efforts.

This rule is not directly attached to additional funding or higher allocations for states. However, the recent Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 includes a $725 million, or 9 percent, increase in discretionary funds to the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) above last year’s allocation. While the increase to CCDBG is needed, concerns related to economic recovery, unemployment, and inflation persist, as well as the looming expiration of American Rescue Plan funds on September 30, 2024. Some states have been able to allocate additional state resources to child care and early education. But fully supporting state implementation of the requirements outlined, in addition to implementing any of the encouraged improvements, requires significant and sustained new federal and state investment.

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