Connecticut
Policy Strategies & Innovations Link copied!
| Innovation Name | Innovation Type | Innovation Subtype | Features at a Glance | Strategy Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut Early Care and Education (ECE) Reporter | Infrastructure Systems | Data Systems | Early Childhood Integrated Data System |
Launched in 2021 by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, Connecticut’s ECE Reporter is an integrated data systemfor internal use that replaced the state’s former Early Childhood Information System. The system acts as a warehouse of demographic, program, and individual data collected from state-funded early childhood programs. All program- and child-level data is private and accessible only to administrators from the Office of Early Childhood; program- and child-level data for individual programs is also accessible to the lead administrator at each program. Other agencies may receive aggregate, deidentified information, which may be linked to the Department of Education's statewide longitudinal data systems (e.g., Connecticut P-20). The data is used for program payment, public funding, reporting, and research on early care and education. Learn More: Connecticut ECE Reporter |
| Connecticut Smart Start | Dedicated Funding Streams | Tobacco Master Settlement | Master Tobacco Settlement funds provided approximately $10 million annually to fund pre-K |
In 2014, Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy signed Smart Start into law, expanding preschool in public school buildings using funds from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. Smart Start preschool classrooms must provide high-quality early education; at a minimum, they must be open the length of the school day and during the entire school year. For FY 2016–25, the program is funded at $10 million per year. Learn More/Source: Fourteen Communities Awarded Funding to Create 416 Additional Preschool Slots |
Demographics Link copied!
State population
3,626,205 Source U.S. Census, 2022
Rural %
13.7% Source U.S. Census, 2020
Urban %
86.3% Source U.S. Census, 2020
Number of children age 0-4
178,211 Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Poverty levels – children 0-8 below 200% poverty
29% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Median family income among households with children
$105,000.00 Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Unemployment rate
4.2% Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, December 2022
Unemployment rate of parents
5% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Children under age 6 with all available parents in the labor force
73% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Children living in households with a high housing cost burden
31% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021
Political Landscape Link copied!
| Year | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D |
| House | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D |
Early Childhood Education Programs Link copied!
Public pre-K program name
School Readiness Program (SR) Source: NIEER 2023
Public pre-K program name
Child Day Care Contracts (CDCC) Source: NIEER 2023
Public pre-K program name
Smart Start Source: NIEER 2023
Universal or targeted pre-K policy
Targeted Pre-K Policy (3- and 4-Year-Olds) Source: NIEER 2023
Universal or targeted pre-K policy
Targeted Pre-K Policy (3- and 4-Year-Olds) Source: NIEER 2023
Universal or targeted pre-K policy
Targeted Pre-K Policy (3- and 4-Year-Olds) Source: NIEER 2023
Percent of 3-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Public Early Childhood Education Programs Source: NIEER 2023
Programs
- 3-year-old children enrolled in state-funded public pre-K (10%)
- 3-year-old children enrolled in Head Start (6%)
- Other/none (84%)
Percent of 4-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Public Early Childhood Education Programs Source: NIEER 2023
Programs
- 4-year-old children enrolled in state-funded public pre-K (18%)
- 4-year-old children enrolled in Head Start (5%)
- Other/none (77%)
Workforce Link copied!
2017–2019 Median Hourly Wages Source CSCCE 2018, 2020
Role
- Child care workers
- Preschool teachers
- Preschool or child care center directors
Funding Sources Link copied!
Funding acronyms: CCDBG: Child Care and Development Block Grant; CARES Act: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act; CRRSE Act: Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations; ARPA: American Rescue Plan Act; CCDF: Child Care and Development Fund; MIECHV: Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program; IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; TANF: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
The COVID Funding Cliff
All federal COVID relief allocations, including funding authorized by the CARES, CRRSE, and ARPA bills, must be fully spent by September 2024. An analysis from the Century Foundation shows this loss of funds could cause more than 3 million children to lose access to child care nationwide – including more than 37,000 children in Connecticut.