This brief provides an analysis of Governor’s Fiscal Year 2012 and 2013 budget proposals as they affect early care and education programs. Overall, during a year with one of the largest budget deficits, the Governor’s proposed budget does an admirable job of preserving programs, with beginning – but very incomplete – movement towards an integrated early care and education system.
Funding proposals include:
- Proposed increases in funding over FY 11 expenditures for state-funded child care centers, School Readiness competitive school districts, and the Graustein Memorial Fund’s Discovery communities initiative.
- Proposed maintenance of funding at FY 11 expenditure levels for Family Resource Centers, State Head Start, Head Start Enhancement, Bridgeport’s ABCD Total Learning Initiative, and Improving Early Literacy.
- A proposed appropriation of $97.6 million for the Care4Kids program for FY 12, which would be a $5.8 million (5.6%) decrease in appropriations from FY 11. However, for the following year (FY 13), there is a proposed increase in funding to $104.3 million for Care4Kids.
- Elimination of funding for the Nurturing Families Network at non-hospital sites, which is a $3.2 million (25.2%) cut to the projected FY 11 expenditures for the Children’s Trust Fund.
Other significant proposed changes include:
- The recommended transfer of state-funded child care centers from the Department of Social Services to the State Department of Education.
- The proposed equalization of rates between state-funded child care centers and School Readiness programs.
(Updated in April 2011)
