Apply to the CARE Fellowship by August 4th!

Calling all passionate early childhood professionals in Minnesota! Do you want to take your enthusiasm to the next level? Apply for the CARE (Child Care Advocates Ready to Emerge) Fellowship, where you’ll learn how to advocate for public policies that affect early childhood care and education.  

The CARE Fellowship is a public policy learning cohort. Monthly meetings are a mix of virtual and in-person. Topics include the state legislative process, using personal stories for advocacy, and racial equity in early childhood systems. 

The CARE Fellowship is facilitated by Think Small, Child Care Aware of Minnesota, The Minnesota Association for the Education of Young Children (MnAEYC), and the Minnesota Child Care Association.  

Learn more and apply by August 4. 

Early Childhood Policy News

Vice President Kamala Harris announced proposed changes to the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) to make care more affordable for families and to improve the financial stability of child care providers. The proposal includes capping copayments at no more than 7% of a family’s income for those receiving child care assistance. The administration is currently accepting feedback on the changes. If they decide to move forward with some or all of them, the changes would need to be implemented at the state level, and the timeline for that is not yet available. 

Lieutenant Governor Flanagan and state lawmakers attended a convening at the White House on the topic of early care and learning.  

The City of St. Paul will see an early care and education measure on their ballot in 2024. The proposal would fund early care and education for children in low-income families by increasing property taxes.