Congress Fails to Pass Increases for Education and Early Learning

Children's Defense Fund

We are grateful the Senate consented to ratify the New START treaty last week which reduces the number of nuclear weapons and makes the world a safer place for our children. But as many of you know, significant increases for education and early learning were lost when the Senate failed to pass an omnibus spending bill for next year. Congress has instead passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) that will last until March 4 anddoes not include the increased funding for education and early learning programs like Race to the Top, Investing in Innovation, CCDBG, Head Start/Early Head Start, and the Early Learning Challenge Fund. Thank you to all who urged their networks and Members of Congress to support early learning and education programs throughout the year—but the work is not over! We will be tested in the months ahead and will need to work to stave off deep cuts in programs which benefit children. Learn more about how these programs help children by visiting the early childhood development and education portions of our Web site.