Early Care and Education Consortium

“When we focus on ownership structure in early care and education — whether a center is nonprofit, for profit, publicly traded, or backed by private equity — we divert attention from the real levers that determine quality: adequate, sustained investment in well trained staff, low child staff ratios, evidence based curricula, and safe, stimulating environments—the elements of good care.” Read more from Art Rolnick on the red herring in child care policy discourse.

Private Equity's Role in Child Care Policy Discourse Explore how private equity influences child care policy and its implications for working families and child development.

We’re launching a spotlight series on our amazing providers delivering quality care and learning for young kids every day all around the country!

First up is New Horizon Academy, family owned and operated since 1971 out of Minnesota and now supporting about 10,000 kids across five states daily through their dedicated 3,000 teachers and staff.

Check out their short stories on preserving quality care, addressing child care deserts, and their plans for expansion in a rural community in need.

Provider Spotlight: Celebrating New Horizon Academy Discover the impactful work of New Horizon Academy in our April 2026 Provider Spotlight, showcasing their dedication to children and families.

For millions of American families, child care has become one of the defining affordability challenges of modern life. In communities across the country, the cost of care now rivals a mortgage payment or in-state college tuition. Parents are delaying having children or cobbling together unreliable arrangements simply because they cannot find affordable care that fits their family’s needs.

America’s child care crisis needs more parental freedom — not more Washington control The Administration for Children and Families outlines reforms aimed at empowering parents, cutting bureaucracy, and expanding child care access.

The Trump administration is advancing policies to reduce the burden of childcare costs on low-income families, The Daily Signal has learned. The Administration of Children and Families, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, will issue a combination of new rules and guidance to states in order to empower parents in their children’s day care options.

Trump Unveils New Plan to Lower Cost of Childcare for Low-Income Americans - The Daily Signal FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—The Trump administration is advancing policies to reduce the burden of childcare costs on low-income families, The Daily Signal has

Happy Provider Appreciation Day! Across this country, millions of children spend their most formative years in the care of dedicated professionals who sing the songs, wipe the tears, track the milestones, and show up day after day with skill, with love, and with a commitment that is rarely matched and far too rarely recognized. .

Last night, the House passed the SEED Act, which allows early educators to deduct some of their expenses. Currently, many teachers pay for classroom supplies like books, learning materials, and other items with their own money. K-12 teachers can deduct those expenses on their taxes, but pre-K and early childhood educators cannot. The SEED Act would change that by giving early childhood educators the same tax deduction that K-12 teachers already receive. Thank you to Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, Rep. Jimmy Panetta, Maggie Goodlander and Congressman David G. Valadao for introducing this important piece of legislation!

About 14,000 additional low-income children could soon nab vouchers for free and reduced-cost child care under a $200 million proposal announced Tuesday by Gov. Mike Braun’s administration. The administration will ask the State Budget Committee to let it divert $200 million from the General Fund to another account — created to cover underfunding in other agencies — and use the money to reopen admissions for a key child care program.

Governor to pump $200M into child care vouchers, take 14K kids off waitlist • Indiana Capital Chronicle About 14,000 additional low-income children could soon nab vouchers for child care under a $200 million proposal from Gov. Mike Braun's administration.

In honor of National Month of the Military Child and National Month of the Military Family, KinderCare is offering military families a free day of daycare between now and May 31.

KinderCare Offers Free Day of Child Care for Military Families KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. (NYSE: KLC) (“KinderCare”) the nation’s leading provider of high-quality early childhood education and care, is offering ...

The economic realities of creating a new child care vision for downtown Mankato hit Candice Deal-Bartell hard in late 2025 as the Cultivate Mankato founder knew the end was near. It was time to sell her dream project. But the emergence of regional child care company New Horizon Academy brought some new leverage to those challenges. New Horizon is a family-owned business and industry leader, founded in 1971, operating 110 facilities in several states, including 80 in Minnesota.

New Horizon Academy: Child care leader moves into Mankato Special to Minnesota Valley Business Magazine