Delivering on the Promise of Act 76
The 2023 Child Care Bill – now Act 76 – makes Vermont’s child care system one of the most expansive in the nation. The bill includes long-term, sustainable public funding that will make a difference for years into the future, not just for young children, their families and early childhood educators, but for businesses and our state’s economy. On an annual basis, the bill will invest $125 million into Vermont’s child care system. This historic investment will help families to afford care and will help child care programs to improve quality and early childhood educator recruitment and retention by increasing compensation, resources, and professional training.
The Alliance supports Let’s Grow Kids and the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children in their work to monitor implementation of Act 76 with the goal of making it work for all Vermont families, and to ensure that funding gets into the hands of those who need it most – child care programs and early childhood educators, families and kids.
Lead Organizations: Let’s Grow Kids and the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children
Data and Talking Points
- In 2023, Vermonters worked together with lawmakers to pass Act 76! This new law makes Vermont a national leader in child care. The law’s historic investments will stabilize our child care sector; providing access to affordable, quality child care for thousands of Vermont kids and their families and increasing compensation for essential early childhood educators. Act 76 proves that solving our state’s child care crisis is within our reach.
- In 2024, the Vermont Legislature must deliver on the promise of Act 76, which will invest an additional $125 million a year into Vermont’s child care system. Our primary policy goal this year is to make sure Act 76 is fully funded and properly implemented. We owe it to Vermonters to get this right!
- This year, we’ll work with policymakers to continue improving our child care system, including allocating funding for Act 76 and ongoing child care supports in the State Fiscal Year 2025 Budget.