Child Care for Working Families Act
Summary
The Child Care for Working Families Act aims to increase the quality and supply of child care while lowering costs for families. It establishes a child care and early learning program, provides grants to localities and Head Start agencies, and implements universal preschool. The act also focuses on improving wages for child care staff and ensuring access for underserved populations.
Expected Effects
This act would create a federal entitlement program for child care, providing assistance to eligible children. States would receive funding to improve child care quality and supply, implement tiered systems for recognizing quality, and offer sliding fee scales for copayments. The act also expands Head Start programs and supports universal preschool, contingent on state plans and federal funding.
Potential Benefits
- Increased access to high-quality child care for working families.
- Reduced child care costs through sliding fee scales and subsidies.
- Improved wages and professional development opportunities for child care staff.
- Expansion of Head Start programs and establishment of universal preschool.
- Prioritization of access for underserved populations, including low-income families, children with disabilities, and dual language learners.
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential for increased federal spending and debt.
- Complex application and reporting requirements for states and providers.
- Potential for federal overreach into state and local child care systems.
- Risk of fraud or misuse of funds.
- Possible disruption of existing child care arrangements during the transition to the new system.
Most Disadvantaged Areas:
Constitutional Alignment
The Child Care for Working Families Act's constitutional alignment is complex. While Article I, Section 8 grants Congress the power to provide for the general welfare, the extent of federal involvement in child care could be debated under the Tenth Amendment, which reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states. The Act's nondiscrimination provisions align with the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).