Category: Early Childhood

February: A Month of Advocacy for Early Childhood Policies

Legislative District 12 constituents and CAA meeting with Senator Epstein (D).

February is the shortest month, but for Children’s Action Alliance (CAA), it was a long and important month of advocating for Arizonans. CAA had presence at both the Arizona State Capitol and on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. promoting solutions that are needed and matter to young children and families in Arizona. Through our conversations with state and federal lawmakers, the consistent messaging was that we needed more public investment in child care and early learning so our youngest Arizonans can thrive.

 

Early Childhood Day

Legislative District 4 constituents and early childhood leaders, including KinderCare, First Things First, and CAA, meeting with Senator Werner(R).

On February 17th, CAA joined the Arizona Early Childhood Alliance (AZECA), along with partners, to meet with state legislators to promote legislation that decreased the child care costs for families, increased access to child care, and addressed the shortage of early childhood educators. Specifically, CAA discussed important solutions that helped families through:

  • HB 2643 Appropriation, Child Care
    • The bill appropriates a crucial $120 million from the state General Fund to the Department of Economic Security (DES) for child care assistance.
    • DES implemented a waiting list for most families applying to the Child Care Assistance Program on August 1, 2024, due to increased demand and limited funding. As of 02/28/2025, there are 1,587 families and 2,607 children on the waiting list.
    • As the appropriation bill never received a hearing in its chamber of origin, Governor Hobbs included a $112.4 million on-going appropriation from the state General Fund for the Child Care Assistance Program in her Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Executive Budget. This means that this will still be a priority discussion item during budget negotiations to help alleviate some of the waiting list.
  • HB 2778 Luxury Tax; Nicotine; Vapor; Products
    • The bill imposes a luxury tax on nicotine and vapor products in the same manner as other tobacco products. This is important as the bill directs tax revenue from nicotine and vapor products to be deposited for the Early Childhood Development and Health Board, also known as First Things First (60%), and the state General Fund (40%), which increases state revenue for important programs.
    • First Things First is Arizona’s only public funding source dedicated exclusively to early childhood. On November 7, 2006, Arizonans made a historic decision on behalf of our state’s young children by passing Proposition 203, a citizen’s initiative to fund quality early childhood development and health programs for children, birth to age 5, before kindergarten. Voters backed that commitment with an 80-cent per pack increase on tobacco products. Given the shift away from tobacco product purchases in recent years, First Things First revenue has declined. The bill is an extension of the voter initiative given the innovation of these newer products in recent years.
    • With the decline in revenue, First Things First has had to limit the number of programs, offerings, and financial assistance for early childhood programs, like their Quality First Scholarships, that help low-income families afford quality early care and education for their young children
    • Unfortunately, this bill also did not get a hearing in its chamber of origin- leaving early childhood advocates frustrated at the lack of support from our state lawmakers on common sense solutions that are already adapted in over 30 states.

As the legislative session is far from being over, CAA will continue to advocate for these state level policies that increase funding for child care and early learning programs.

NAEYC Public Policy Forum

Senator Gallego with early childhood leaders

CAA’s Director of Early Learning and Education, Kyrstyn Paulat, attended the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) 2025 Public Policy Forum in Washington, D.C. February 23rd-25th. NAEYC represents more than 50,000 early childhood educators that are committed to promoting high-quality early childhood education for young children. CAA was a member of the Arizona core team that included also NAEYC’s Arizona affiliates, Arizona Association for the Education of Young Children (AZAEYC), along with their southern chapter (SAZAEYC), as well as First Things First, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University. On February 25th, Arizona’s core team attended visits with seven out of the nine Congressional Offices, and both U.S. Senate Offices. Specifically, the Arizona team emphasized that Congress should:

  • Protect and prioritize new investments in key federal child care and early learning programs that support educators, families and young children, including the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Head Start, and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), in both the FY25 and FY26 appropriations bills;
  • Oppose cuts to these programs, and other programs families with young children and early educators rely on, including Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
  • Prioritize tax approaches that support families with young children to afford child care, like the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, and making the tax credit fully refundable.
AZAEYC’s Albert Murrieta, SAZAEYC’s Diana Hill, and CAA’s Kyrstyn Paulat meeting with Representative Ciscomani (R).

Our meetings further reinforced the importance of federal funding to our state and how cuts to these programs would be harmful to our children, families, and communities. Although the House passed the budget resolution last week, there are many House Republicans, like Representative Ciscomani, that are opposed to large cuts to important programs, like Medicaid, and know the devasting effects these would have on their communities. The budget plan does not directly impose specific cuts, but it does lay out guidelines on how to offset the tax reforms, such as directing the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicare and Medicaid, to cut at least $880 billion over 10 years.

The passing of the budget resolution was the first step in a very long process of budget reconciliation. The Arizona team communicated in all meetings how vital these federal programs and funding are to our state as Arizona depends more on federal funds than most states. Federal funds make up 44% of Arizona’s revenues, above the national average of 32%. Specifically, our team stated that 74% of that federal funding is Medicaid and in early childhood, Medicaid covers more than half of Arizona’s births, and roughly 36% of children. In rural Arizona, even more children rely on Medicaid, as more than 50% of the population of children are insured through the public health insurance.

Looking Forward

The state and federal government must expand its support for the early care and education sector, because investing in our children means investing in the future of our society. As we are getting prepared for a long uphill battle, please know your stories and experiences are so important in shaping these policy decisions.

Please contact your elected officials to urge them to prioritize early childhood policies, because an investment in early learning and child care is essential for the well-being of Arizona’s children, their education and health, and our future.

Policy Solutions Can and Should Prevent Hunger and Homelessness Among Children and Youth

Every year, National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is recognized intentionally right before Thanksgiving as an opportunity to bring attention to those who do not have a place to call home or know when their next meal will be.

At Children’s Action Alliance (CAA), bringing awareness to the impact of homelessness and food insecurity on children and youth in Arizona is an important part of advocating for solutions that work.

Food Insecurity in Arizona

Source: Feeding America

‘Food insecurity’ is an official term from the United States Department of Agriculture. Food insecurity is when people do not have enough to eat and do not know where their next meal will come from. Food insecurity affects more than 13 million U.S. children.  In Arizona, one in five children are food insecure. Food insecurity is correlated with long-term damage to children’s health and academic success. By kindergarten, food-insecure children are often cognitively, emotionally, and physically behind their food-secure peers. This shows the need for continued awareness for these families who are experiencing difficult times so Arizona can promote growth, development, learning, and overall health, especially for Arizona’s most vulnerable children.

Rising Cost of Food

Consider how the rising price of food impacts families. The national average price of a dozen eggs was $1.53 in March 2020 before pandemic impacts took hold. In August 2024, the average cost of a dozen eggs was $3.82. For one pound of ground chuck beef during this same period, the price rose from $4.11 per pound to $5.64. The rising cost of food significantly impacts children by increasing the risk of food insecurity, particularly for low-income families, as higher prices can force parents to reduce the quantity or quality of food they can provide.

Average Price of Select Goods from October 2004 to October 2024

School Meals Address Child Hunger in Arizona

An avenue to mitigate food insecurity is through school meals. Schools are where children go every day and, for many, a place where they can count on a nutritious meal. School nutrition programs and assistance, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Community Eligibility Provision, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the SUN Bucks Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program, have proven to support children’s health and development. Academically, school meal assistance improves test scores, attendance, and behavior.

In Arizona, the number of children receiving free or reduced-price school meals has increased from 52% in 2022 to 58% in 2023. From January 2023 until June 2024, Arizona used $6.75 million federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act to waive the reduced-price fee for school meals through the 2023-2024 school year. This investment in children and families provided about 12 million school meals to families. With the expiration of the federal funding, Arizona's fiscal year 2025 budget had a major win in addressing child hunger with an appropriation of $3.8 million in one-time funding to continue investing in school meals for students with low incomes attending public and charter schools. However, advocacy will be needed again in the next legislative session as this was only a one-time appropriation.  Continuing to increase access to, strengthen, and invest in school meals will further support and improve a child’s health and well-being.

Housing Obstacle for Arizona Families: Evictions are Rising

Hunger and homelessness are intricately linked, profoundly impacting the health and education outcomes of children and families. 57% of children in low-income households also experience high housing costs in Arizona.  Increasing housing costs increase the risk of eviction and homelessness because of the barriers to securing stable housing. The Maricopa County Justice Court recently reported that 7,537 households in Maricopa County alone faced eviction proceedings in their court in September. The last time the number of eviction proceedings was this high in September was more than twenty years ago. Housing instability is associated with stress and trauma consequences to families, and children who have experienced multiple moves or homelessness are more likely to develop various health conditions, including mental health illnesses, respiratory conditions, and infections.

Maricopa County is Seeing the Most Evictions Filed Since 2006

Youth, and Especially Youth Who Have Experienced Foster Care, are at Risk for Homelessness

In addition to rising housing costs, other barriers include limited availability of affordable housing, landlord rejection of housing vouchers, and economic disparities that disproportionately impact certain populations, including youth.

Youth who have experienced foster care are at a high risk of homelessness. In its budget proposal to be decided in the next legislative session, the Arizona Department of Child Safety proposes reducing this risk for youth transitioning to adulthood through an ongoing investment of $434,000 to continue providing stable housing and proper placement to vulnerable youth who are aging out of the foster care system. This investment is important as it aims to increase transitional housing capacity by almost 80%, which reduces the risk of homelessness for young people.

Housing Instability Impacts a Child’s Ability to Thrive

Homelessness, along with food insecurity, is a social determinant of health, according to the World Health Organization - meaning it is an external factor beyond an individual's control that impacts their overall well-being. When children lack a safe place to live or sufficient food to eat, both their physical and mental health are compromised. In 2023, the Arizona Department of Education assessed the impact of homelessness on children's lives, finding that students who are experiencing homelessness experience significantly higher rates of developmental delays, emotional challenges, and academic struggles compared to their housed peers.

Educational Outcomes of Students Who are Homeless vs. Housed in Arizona (SY2022-2023)

During the 2022-2023 school year, assessment data shows a significant difference in educational outcomes between children and youth experiencing homelessness and housed children.  For instance, only 15% of children and youth experiencing homelessness met proficiency standards in English, compared to 30% of all students. Math proficiency was even lower, with just 10% of impacted students meeting expectations, contrasted with 22% statewide. Children experiencing homelessness also faced high dropout rates of 13.4%, and 45% were chronically absent.

Solutions to Homelessness Must Address Disparities

These disparities are also more pronounced among communities of color and LGBTQ+ youth, who are overrepresented in populations that experience homelessness. In the 2022-2023 school year, Black students represented 5.6% of all enrollees, but 13.8% of those who have experienced homelessness, and Native American students made up 4.2% of overall enrolled students, but 11% are impacted by homelessness. LGBTQ+ youth are also overrepresented among young people experiencing homelessness and housing instability, as homelessness often stems from family conflict and discrimination, exposing them to greater mental health risks and safety concerns.

Bringing Awareness to Action

Ending child food insecurity and homelessness must be a national and local health and education priority. The long-lasting negative outcomes of child food insecurity and homelessness translate to not just poor health but also to poor academic and economic outcomes.

Well That's Scary- Child Care Crisis in Arizona

Research shows that it now costs more than $300,000 to raise a child from birth to age 18. It is no surprise that the cost of child care is a large part of those expenses, where, nationally, it costs $1,188 per month for center-based care for one child. In Arizona specifically, 61% of children under five have all available parents in the workforce. For dual-income households, roughly 13% of their income is dedicated to child care. The portion of income is much higher for single-income households, with over 36% of their income going to child care. This disproportionally impacts women, as 76.5% of single-parent households in Arizona were women in 2022.

State Funding: A Small Treat, But More Investment Is Needed

Child care has lacked sustainable funding streams, which has impacted both access to and quality of care for children. The federal Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that allows states to provide child care assistance to low-income working families with children. In Arizona, 31% of children aged six and under are income-eligible for child care assistance, based on federal rules, on average each month. However, 88% of income-eligible children are left with no access to child care assistance due to insufficient funding.

Child Care Assistance: Eligibility Vs. Accessibility

Here in Arizona, First Things First is the state’s only public funding source dedicated exclusively to early childhood, which includes child care solutions.  The primary source of this funding is through a tax on tobacco products, yet tobacco revenue has been declining.

When it comes to state contributions, Governor Hobbs and the legislature delivered $12 million from the General Fund for child care assistance, which boosts family access and affordability, as well as network stabilization. This funding is an important milestone because it is the first General Fund allocation for child care services in more than a decade. However, the amount is significantly less than advocates identified as necessary and is only a one-time funding allocation. As a result, shortly after the passage of the state budget, the Department of Economic Security (DES) reinstated the child care waiting list on August 1, 2024. This waiting list is statutorily required when the demand for child care subsidies exceeds the available funding.

The Impact of the Waiting List: A True Horror Story

While there are a handful of exceptions for families that are not shut out by the child care assistance waiting list, such as families that are currently getting child care assistance, families who are referred for child care assistance from the Jobs program, and families who are referred from the Arizona Department of Child Safety or Tribal Child Welfare to DES for child care assistance; there are currently so many other families that need help with affording child care, but they are unable to get it.

In fact, DES estimates that about 5,200 children will be impacted by the reinstatement of the waiting list each month. This is not just bad news for families, as the waiting list also takes a toll on providers. Currently, there are over 22,000 children being cared for by a licensed provider.  With the implementation of the waiting list, some local jurisdictions are assessing how this will affect children and families in their region.  Pima County estimates that there will be a reduction of 1,959 child care subsidies and First Things First scholarships in their county. There is currently no solution on the horizon as the DES General Fund request includes an important investment of $57.7 million for FY 2026 to increase provider rates in Arizona to comply with federal requirements, but the request does not include funding to eliminate the waiting list.

Carving Out Priorities

Access to high-quality child care and early learning programs promotes positive outcomes for Arizona families while supporting children’s healthy development. Accessible child care allows parents to remain in the workforce and child care creates a strong foundation for a child’s future. However, the price and access to child care have presented challenges to Arizona’s hard-working families. Children’s Action Alliance, alongside partners throughout Arizona, continues to call on policymakers to prioritize accessibility, affordability, and equity by investing in child care for Arizona’s children and families.

Thank you, Kinship Caregivers!

It’s Kinship Caregiver Month, a time to especially honor those who step in to care for children when they need them most. In addition to our applause, let’s also give them policies that support the success of their families.

This year, The Annie E. Casey Foundation has shared information from a new survey of state policies. The report notes that 50% or more of children in foster care were in kinship placements in Arizona, Hawaii, and West Virginia. That makes Arizona one of the top three states in the country for kinship care placement. This is an important advancement for children and families in Arizona.

Our state now has the opportunity and responsibility to keep moving forward in our support of kinship caregivers.

We agree with the report that there are many ways to create equitable support for caregivers, primarily through these three actions:

Let’s give our thanks to kinship caregivers and keep moving forward. Learn more about the solutions and research provided by The Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Nearly 103,000 Arizona kids lost AHCCCS, but KidsCare expansion brings hope.

Since the end of the public health emergency a year ago, 103,000 fewer Arizona children are enrolled in AHCCCS coverage with the return to regular renewal requirements, according to a new report from Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. AHCCCS and its companion KidsCare provide child-specific health insurance for nearly 900,000 children, including routine preventive care, developmental screenings and treatment, vaccinations, behavioral health, and vision and dental services.

While some of these children may have gained other coverage, through a parent’s employer or the Health Insurance Marketplace, more Arizona children likely have become uninsured in the past year.

But there is good news. On April 1, the income limit for KidsCare increased by nearly $10,000 a year for a family of four, meaning 10,000 additional Arizona children will become eligible. Also, at the beginning of this year, new federal requirements took effect providing 12 full months of continuous coverage for children in AHCCCS and KidsCare, meaning fewer administrative requirements for families to maintain their healthcare coverage.

Children’s Action Alliance continues working with our community partners and AHCCCS to increase children’s access to coverage. If you or someone you know needs health insurance, visit Cover AZ’s website to find a local community-based organization to help.

Click here for the full report.

Equity in Early Childhood Education: Arizona's Call to Action

This past week, Southern Arizona advocates gathered in Tucson to discuss how to make our early care and education (ECE) systems more equitable.

Children’s Action Alliance partnered with Child and Family Resources and United Way of Southern Arizona to highlight ASU Children’s Equity Project’s landmark report “Start with Equity Arizona: Increasing Access, Improving Quality, and Advancing Equity in Arizona’s Early Care and Learning Systems."

The report ranks the state on child wellness. It examines early care and education, including child care and preschool, with an emphasis on how many Arizona children and families lack access to those systems, particularly those from historically and contemporarily marginalized communities such as children who are Latino, Black, Indigenous, as well as children who live in rural communities and low-income households, and dual-language learners.

Pima County and Southern Arizona leaders are showing the way through new innovative programs, such as Preschool Promise and Pascua Yaqui Early Care and Learning Center. In addition, Children’s Action Alliance’s emerging work with Spanish-speaking child care providers and dual-language families is focused on understanding paths to meaningful access to high-quality early learning programs and identifying barriers that exist in receiving needed assistance.

The data tells us that state solutions are needed if we are to fulfill our vision of an Arizona where all children and families thrive. The report confirms that early care and education in Arizona have lacked sustained investment over the past two decades, at a time when other states have increased investments in young children. The impacts of these systemic shortfalls have impacted both access to and quality of care for Arizona's youngest.

While many solutions are important for the success of Arizona’s youngest children, one immediate call to action is clear. Governor Hobbs has presented a balanced budget plan that prioritizes $100M in general funds to keep access to affordable child care within reach of thousands of working families and to help child care providers keep their doors open and sustain wages for child care workers.

These state funds are critical as the federal pandemic funding expires. Investing our tax dollars in our children and families is investing in the future of our state and economy. Let’s be sure to let elected leaders know that the consequences of failing to invest are too great - this $100M general fund investment must be in this year’s budget.

Graphics by Meek, S.E., Alexander, B.L., Bucher, E., Soto-Boykin, X., Catherine, E., Palomino, C., Ameley-Quaye, A. (November, 2023). Start with Equity Arizona: Increasing Access, Improving Quality, and Advancing Equity in Arizona’s Early Care and Learning Systems. The Children’s Equity Project at Arizona State University. Retrieved from: https://cep.asu.edu/resources/Start-with-Equity-Arizona

Our Priority: Child Care Funding Gets a Hearing

This morning, a House Appropriations Subcommittee listened to early childhood advocates discuss the urgent need for state investment in child care. Arizona faces a child care crisis due to a prolonged lack of investment, compounded by the expiration of federal funds that stabilized the system during the pandemic. The Department of Economic Security estimates that $100 million in SFY25 is needed to maintain child care assistance reimbursement rates and prevent a waitlist for services. Governor Hobbs included this funding in her proposed budget plan earlier this year. Advocates, including CAA’s Vice President of Policy, Kelley Murphy, argued to the subcommittee that this funding should be included in the final state budget proposal.

They emphasized that this would not only benefit children and families but also have positive impacts on Arizona's economy. Other panelists included Chris Herbst, Professor of Public Policy at ASU; Angela Rabago, Chief External Affairs Officer at First Things First; Ericka Mach, Vice President of External Affairs with the Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona; and Shakesha Shelton, a participant in the Women’s Foundation's Pathways for Single Moms program, which provides child care services to women seeking college degrees. HB2808, sponsored by Jennifer Pawlik and introduced this year, aims to expand that pilot program statewide. 

“We are here because child care is vital to Arizona’s economy, and the child care system is in crisis. The system has been in crisis for a long time, it was on the brink before the COVID crisis. The pandemic made it clear that not only is child care an essential public function, but that we need to rethink the way we, as a community and an economy, support it.” - Kelley Murphy, CAA. 

All presenters agreed on the importance of prioritizing this issue as the legislative session continues and budget negotiations between House and Senate Leadership and the Governor’s Office begin. Three bills were introduced this session to appropriate the $100 million to the child care program (HB2266, HB2752- both sponsored by Rep. Analise Ortiz, and SB1363- sponsored by Sen. Priya Sundereshan). We will continue to monitor these bills as they progress through the legislative process. 

Click here to view a list of all CAA’s priority bills for the legislative session.

Early Childhood Day at the Capitol Advocates for Gov. Hobbs’ $100 Million Proposal

The Arizona Early Childhood Alliance (AZECA) hosted its 8th annual Day at the Capitol for parents, advocates, and legislators to raise awareness of the importance of a child’s earliest years.  Children’s Action Alliance is a member of the alliance.  This year’s event focus was centered around the Governor’s budget proposal of $100 million in child care assistance to stave off a looming funding cliff facing child care providers and parents in Arizona.  Attendees toured the House of Representatives Floor with Rep. Consuelo Hernandez, met with legislators privately on the issue and were encouraged by the bipartisan panel discussion with Rep. Pawlik, Rep. Ortiz and Sen. Bennett with a special welcome from Rep. Alma Hernandez.  The lawmakers agreed child care assistance is a top priority for this legislative session as it intersects with the topic of housing availability and housing costs. Rep. Ortiz sponsored bill HB2266 (Appropriation; childcare assistance) will put the Governor’s plan into fruition by providing funds to the Department of Economic Security to provide child care assistance to eligible families. Also, Sen. Sundareshan is sponsoring the senate bill in support of the Governor’s proposal.

CAA stands with lawmakers and communities who are working on this issue to stabilize Arizona’s early care and education system.  Without child care funding assistance and the federal child care relief sunsetting in September, as many as one-third of Arizona’s child care programs could close and nearly 100,000 children and their families could lose the child care they depend on.

$100M in Gov. Hobbs budget proposal for child care.

Our thanks to Governor Hobbs for prioritizing child care in her budget proposal. On Friday afternoon, the Governor released her budget proposal signifying her priorities for the upcoming legislative session.  Included in that budget was $100M to stave off a looming funding cliff facing child care providers and parents in Arizona.   

During the COVID-19 pandemic, federal child care relief stabilized Arizona’s early care and education system. It helped child care programs keep their doors open and improve wages, benefits, and professional learning for their workforce. However, these funds will sunset in September 2024, resulting in a child care fiscal cliff that could see as many as one-third of Arizona’s child care programs close and nearly 100,000 children and their families could lose the child care they depend on. 

We can’t let that happen for families, providers, or our economy. Yes, the $100,000 million in Governor Hobb’s budget is just as vital for the Arizona economy as Arizona’s families. A recent report by the Century Foundation showed that without sustained childcare funding: 

  • Arizona employers will lose $278 million in employee productivity. 
  • As many as 5,000 child care jobs will be lost. 
  • Arizona parents will lose a combined $257 million as a result of cutting hours or leaving the workforce altogether. 

This proposed funding is a great first step to address this crisis. Now, that Governor Hobbs has prioritized child care, we’ll be working with legislators, partners, and community members like you to get this proposal across the finish line for Arizonans

For more information on the Governor’s Budget Proposal click here.