Amendment would shift UPK private-provider payments into childcare assistance program; lawmakers seek fiscal study

A committee amendment discussed March 1, 2025, would preserve eligibility and regulatory standards for universal prekindergarten (UPK) but change the funding pathway for families who choose private prequalified providers: the Department for Children and Families (DCF) would pay tuition for up to 10 hours per week from the state portion of childcare assistance funds, rather than having that 10-hour amount flow through school district budgets and the education fund.