Preschool Promise—funded by Montgomery County, the City of Dayton, and local philanthropists—is a nonprofit organization that helps young children get ready for kindergarten; it "promises" one year of affordable, high-quality preschool for all four-year-olds in the county. Established in 2016, Preschool Promise partners with families, providers, and community leaders to ensure that quality early childhood experiences are accessible from the prenatal period to age five, particularly for Black children and children from lower-income families. The nonprofit has partnered with over 120 licensed preschool and child care sites, which collectively care for and educate over 3,000 preschoolers each year.  In 2016, voters in the City of Dayton approved a 0.25% earned income tax increase to support Preschool Promise, which went into effect in 2017. The eight-year levy, which has raised an estimated $11 million annually, passed with 54% of the vote.  LEARN MORE: Preschool Promise Sources: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. (n.d.). Preschool Promise EIR - Conscious Discipline Impact Study.EditSign

California offers various professional development resources provided by the Early Learning and Care Division (ELCD) to train professionals in the childcare field, including the Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC), which leads institutes for child care professionals on topics such as social-emotional development, quality group care, cognitive and language development, and cultural and family issues. The PITC program offers subsidized on-site training, mentoring and coaching to eligible child care programs in California. Through these programs, care providers, teachers, program directors and home visitors can access interactive training services and events, technical assistance, and coaching. Companion CDE resources are also available to in-home and family child care providers, infant/toddler care teachers, program directors and home visitors. There is also an Academy for Family Child Care (FCC), which includes a six-session virtual training on the unique assets and challenges of FCC and specialized training to support infant/toddler care. Learn More: California Early Learning and Care Division Professional Development Training Sources: California Department of Education. (n.d.). Professional Development Training. Program for Infant Toddler Care. (n.d.).

The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation administers the Project Pathfinders scholarship to early childhood professionals in preschool and child care settings. Recipients can use the scholarship toward community college coursework and credentials, and they must set a specific credentialing goal to be eligible for additional funds to cover the costs of books and fees. Priority is given to applicants working with at-risk children (e.g., those eligible for child care subsidies, qualifying for free or reduced lunch, or participating in public preschool programs like Head Start or Virginia Preschool Initiative). Pathfinder awards are applied to a recipient’s account after other financial aid and grants (such as Pell grants) have been applied. Funds for the program first became available in the 2019–20 biennial budget enacted by Governor Ralph Northam and the 2018 General Assembly. Learn More: Virginia Project Pathfinders Sources: Virginia Early Childhood Education. (n.d.). Project Pathfinders. Virginia Early Childhood Education. (n.d.). Project Pathfinders: Overview of Scholarship Opportunity for the Early Education Workforce. Virginia Early Childhood Education. (n.d.). Project Pathfinders Archive.

In 2020, the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco and Hernando Counties, a collaboration between Pasco County and Hernando County, funded and launched the Promise Institute, a educational training platform that provides comprehensive training and educational resources for early childhood educators. The Promise Institute also includes programs such as Nemours Brightstart for Early Literacy Success which aims to improve reading readiness by offering an effective instructional curriculum for parents and educators and START Initiative which aims to provide tools and strategies for relationship-based parenting for families. In 2023, the Early Learning Coalition expanded the Promise Institute to include a new Family Education training platform for parents and caregivers. This strategy represents a collaboration between Pasco County and Hernando County. It is cross-listed under Hernando County here. Sources: Early Learning Coalition of Pasco and Hernando. (n.d.). The Promise Institute.  

In 2020, the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco and Hernando Counties, a collaboration between Pasco County and Hernando County, funded and launched the Promise Institute, a educational training platform that provides comprehensive training and educational resources for early childhood educators. The Promise Institute also includes programs such as Nemours Brightstart for Early Literacy Success which aims to improve reading readiness by offering an effective instructional curriculum for parents and educators and START Initiative which aims to provide tools and strategies for relationship-based parenting for families. In 2023, the Early Learning Coalition expanded the Promise Institute to include a new Family Education training platform for parents and caregivers. This strategy represents a collaboration between Pasco County and Hernando County. It is cross-listed under Pasco County here. Sources: Early Learning Coalition of Pasco and Hernando. (n.d.). The Promise Institute.  

In November of 2023, Texas voters passed Proposition 2, approving a constitutional amendment that will allow counties or municipalities to authorize a property tax exemption on all or part of the appraised value of property used to operate child care facilities. The exemption must equal at least 50% of the property’s appraised value. Advocates for the amendment were aiming to alleviate some of the financial burdens that Texas child care facilities face. For a child care facility to be exempt, it must be both licensed and part of the Texas Rising Star Program, a quality rating and improvement system for child care programs that participate in the Texas Workforce Commission’s Child Care Services. At least 20% of the children enrolled in the facility’s child care program must receive subsidies or scholarships from the Texas Workforce Commission. Home-based child care facilities will not be eligible. Proposition 2 will go into effect in January 2024.  Learn more: property tax exemption for child care facilities amendment Sources: Ballotpedia. (2023). Texas Proposition 2, Property Tax Exemption for Child-Care Facilities Amendment. KXAN. (2023). Proposition 2: Texans vote on child care property tax exemption.

In 2014, Seattle voters passed a referendum to increase local property taxes to provide dedicated funding for the Seattle Preschool Program. The tax increase allocates 11 cents of every $1,000 in assessed value to fund the program. The measure was sent to a wider vote in 2018, where it passed to secure funding for 7 more years. The tax contributes roughly $6.8 million per year toward the preschool program. learn more: Seattle property tax referendum Sources: Seattle Times. (2018). Seattle City Council sends $600 million-plus education levy to November ballotSeattle Office of the Mayor. (2018). Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy Fact Sheet.Seattle Office of the Mayor. (2018). Mayor Jenny Durkan Statement on Voters’ Approval of Her Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Plan.

In December 2024, the City of Boise approved $925,000 in property tax relief for certain groups of residents, including licensed in-home child care providers. Providers are eligible for up to $500 in property tax relief if they are licensed, own their home, and are actively providing child care services.   The city’s Property Tax Rebate Program was authorized by the Idaho Legislature’s House Bill 550, passed in March 2022, which allows Idaho municipalities to offer property tax rebates using general funds. The program went into effect in 2023, though child care providers were not eligible during the first year.   learn more: property tax rebate for family child care providers Sources: City of Boise. (2024, December 3). Boise Property Tax Rebate Program Begins This Week, Expands To Eligible Childcare Providers. Carr Lee, M. (2024, October 29). Good Ideas for Cities: Creative Tactics Cities are Using to Address the Child Care Shortage. Mayors Innovation Project.

In November 2020, St. Louis voters approved Proposition R, a property tax referendum to create a dedicated public source of funding for the city’s early childhood education system. The proposition, passed with 56 percent of the vote, increased the property tax by 6 cents per $100 of property valuation.   Revenue from this tax is distributed through the city’s Children’s Services Fund, which is managed by the St. Louis Mental Health Board. The Board does not directly subsidize child care for families, but it provides grants to licensed early education providers in St. Louis. Grants fund a wide range of early childhood services, including professional development for teachers, data collection, and technical assistance.  learn more: proposition r Sources: North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation. (n.d.). St. Louis City Property Tax. Covert, B. (2020, December 3). Proposition R in St. Louis: Ballot Measure Creates First Public Funding Source for Education and Care for Children 0-5. Early Learning Nation.

In 2024, the Minnesota legislature passed an omnibus judiciary bill, House File 5216, that included new protections for family child care providers in communities with homeowner associations (HOAs). The measure prevents private entities, such as HOAs and condominium associations, from prohibiting or unreasonably restricting a dwelling owner from providing child care under a family child care license. These entities also cannot impose fees on dwelling owners who provide child care.  learn more: protections for family child care providers Sources: Child Care Aware of Minnesota. (2024). Final 2024 Legislative Update. Minnesota Legislature. (2024). HF 5216.

In 2002, Child Care Aware of Minnesota created the Retaining Early Educators Through Attaining Incentives Now (R.E.E.T.A.I.N.) program to help retain qualified early childhood educators across the state.   Originally funded by private donations and federal Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) funds, R.E.E.T.A.I.N. is now funded through the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), administered by Minnesota’s Department of Human Services (DHS), and through state general funds. The Minnesota legislature allocated $3.9 million in FY 2024-25 (and $750,000 per year after that) for R.E.E.T.A.I.N. bonuses.   R.E.E.T.A.I.N. offers salary bonuses to both center-based and home-based providers. Bonuses are awarded annually based on education and experience and range from $500 to $3,000. R.E.E.T.A.I.N. administrators do not require recipients to report how bonuses are spent.  R.E.E.T.A.I.N. complements Minnesota’s Teacher Education and Compensation Helps Early Childhood (T.E.A.C.H.) program by creating a professional development pathway for early childhood educators across the state. It has awarded grants to over 2,800 early childhood professionals.  learn more: R.E.E.T.A.I.N. Bonuses  Sources: Peterson, V. (2023, September 21). REETAIN Bonuses Help Child Care Professionals Stay in the Field. Child Care Aware of Minnesota. Franchett, A., Carlson, J., & Epstein, D. (2019, December). Spotlight on Minnesota’s R.E.E.T.A.I.N. Grant Program. Child Trends.

In 2023, Hawaii launched Ready Keiki, which aims to expand access to preschool for Hawaii's 3- and 4-year-olds, with the goal of creating 465 new classrooms statewide by 2032. To achieve universal access to prekindergarten, the state plans to use a mixed-delivery system that includes private providers, public preschools, family child care centers, and federally funded Head Start programs. Hawaii has allocated $200 million, as stipulated by Act 257, to create 2,000 to 4,000 prekindergarten seats over the next two years. The funds will be used to expand existing facilities and construct new ones. The School Facilities Authority (SFA) determines eligibility for and distribution of these funds, a process that includes working closely with stakeholders to maximize the reach and efficiency of the investment. Learn More: Ready keiki Pre-K Sources: Ready Keiki. (n.d.). About Ready Keiki. Office of the Lieutenant Governor. (2023). Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke unveils "Ready Keiki" plan.