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EEC board endorses priorities memo urging access and workforce investments ahead of FY26 budget
Summary
The EEC board voted to send an amended FY26 priorities memo to the secretary emphasizing expanding family access (CCFA), program stability, quality, and workforce supports; members highlighted 65,000 children in CCFA, 29,000 families on the waiting list, and recommended pairing access targets with workforce capacity increases.
The Department of Early Education and Care board discussed and approved an amended priorities memo to send to the secretary's office outlining FY2026 budget priorities.
The Chair framed four strategic areas: expanding family access to care, ensuring program stability, enhancing program quality, and strengthening workforce supports. Board members repeatedly urged prioritizing CCFA (Child Care Financial Assistance) expansions and CPPI investments to address access shortages raised during public comment. A staff figure cited during the discussion noted about 65,000 children currently receiving CCFA supports across three programs and approximately 29,000 families on the waiting list.
Why it matters: Board guidance will feed into the governor's budget process (Governor's budget expected in the 3rd week of January). Members debated whether the memo should include numeric targets (e.g., an explicit number of additional children served) or instead frame desired outcomes (e.g., reduce wait list) and recommended the board use dashboard KPIs to track progress.
Key points from discussion: Several members stressed that access expansion must move in parallel with workforce investments (wage and recruitment measures) so that new vouchers correspond to actual classroom capacity. Members asked for future briefings on FFN (friends-and-family) care, departmental capacity to implement expanded programs, and KPIs tying budget asks to measurable outcomes.
Board action: The Chair moved to approve the memo as amended to reflect today's conversation; the motion was seconded and passed with a majority vote and at least one abstention. Staff will finalize edits and forward the memo to the secretary's office ahead of the January budget timeline.
