Joseph P. Gresko

I spent Monday morning in Stratford with Governor Lamont, where the governor announced that, as a result of the fiscal year 2027 state budget bill signed into law last week, the administration is making an additional investment of approximately $320 million into Connecticut’s recently established Early Childhood Education Endowment. Thank you to Cathie Vanicky, owner of Honey Bear Learning Center in Stratford, for hosting Monday's announcement.

The Early Childhood Education Endowment functions as a permanent funding source dedicated to strengthening Connecticut’s early childhood education system. This year’s investment, combined with last year’s initial $300 million investment, positions Connecticut as a national leader in developing sustainable solutions that support children, families, and educators.

The endowment was created to address longstanding challenges facing Connecticut families and the childcare industry, including the high cost of care, access to available childcare, workforce recruitment and retention challenges, and the need for stable funding that supports access to high-quality early childhood education across the state. It supports Connecticut's workforce, allowing parents to work, economic growth, and community stability, while providing meaningful financial relief for working families and strengthening the early childhood workforce for generations to come.

Over time, the endowment’s resources will help create thousands of additional childcare spaces, make early childhood education more affordable for families, support competitive compensation for educators, strengthen program quality, and improve access to childcare in communities where families need it most.

Beginning in July 2027, eligible families are expected to begin benefiting from no-cost or reduced-cost early childhood education opportunities supported through the endowment. Consistent with Public Act 25-93, eligible families enrolled in state-funded childcare spaces through the Early Start CT program who earn up to $100,000 annually will have access to childcare at no cost, while family contributions above that threshold will be capped at no more than 7% of the household income.