Up To 1,000 More Early Child Education And Childcare Spots Available To CT Families, Lamont Says

HARTFORD, CT — Hundreds more Connecticut families will have access to free or reduced price early childhood education and childcare in January, state officials said Thursday, under the Early Start CT program. In addition, program provider payments are increasing 8%, which officials said will help with operational costs and increased staff compensation.

Connecticut unveiled the program in July, and in September announced the creation of the first 500 spots. Under the program, families earning less than $100,000 will receive free service, and those earning up to $150,000 will pay based on a formula that maxes out at 7% of their income.

“We are making the largest expansion to early childhood education services Connecticut has ever seen because access to these services strengthens families, enables parents to participate in the workforce, and helps children begin their lives learning the skills needed to achieve professional success in the future,” Lamont said. “Connecticut is the most family-friendly state in the nation. Early childhood education remains a priority for our administration because it is a major component of what will create a stronger, safer, and more resilient state.”

Early Start CT is Connecticut’s state-funded early care and education program for income-eligible families that serve infants, toddlers, preschool, and school-age children. It is administered by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC).

“Today’s announcement demonstrates how the Early Childhood Education Endowment is helping more families access much needed affordable child care through a transformative expansion of Early Start CT while strengthening Connecticut’s early care and education business model,” Interim Early Childhood Commissioner Elena Trueworthy said. “This bold investment is good for families, good for child care programs and its workforce, and good for Connecticut’s economy now and in the future.”

OEC will soon launch a request for applications to child care providers that can apply for these Early Start CT spaces. The RFA will be open to all child care centers, group child care homes, family child care homes, and public school preschool classrooms. OEC will conduct a transparent and impartial evaluation of applications received in response to this RFA and will award up to $19 million to child care providers through state contracts spanning January 2026 through June 30, 2027, according to a statement from Lamont’s office.

Programs awarded Early Start CT spaces must participate in Elevate, the state’s quality improvement system, and in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), with a waiver option available for the CACFP program. Sixty percent of families enrolled in Early Start CT must have an income that is at or below 75% percent of the state median income level.

By statute, State Treasurer Erick Russell is charged with administering, investing, and distributing the funds in the endowment.

“Early Start CT represents a bold step toward ensuring every child has access to high-quality early learning,” Russell said. “By expanding infant, toddler, and preschool spaces and increasing provider payment rates, we’re not only investing in our youngest learners — we’re strengthening the early childhood workforce that supports them every day.”

The provider payment rate increase of up to 8% provides $10 million to existing and new Early Start CT providers through a mix of endowment and general funds, state officials said. Early Start CT providers can apply these increased payment rates to raise staff compensation in efforts to better recruit and retain early care and education professionals in the classroom.

“I’m excited about this announcement, as today we begin the process of increasing our early child care across the state into communities where Early Start CT has not previously been available,” state Sen. Ceci Maher, D-Wilton, said. “Our investments and continued focus on early child care is essential to the vision of accessible early child care for all. The growth of this program will provide new resources and opportunity for countless families around the state.”

State Rep. Kate Farrar, D-West Hartford, said the expansion would be an important first step toward meeting the demand for early childhood care and development.

“Many costs are rising for families,” she said. “By expanding infant, toddler, and preschool spaces, we’ll ensure more families have access to high-quality affordable and accessible early learning. Plus, an increase in provider rates will improve compensation for early educators who play an invaluable role in shaping the futures of our youngest learners.”