On Monday, Feb. 1, President Obama released his FY 2011 federal budget proposal, providing a blueprint for next year’s funding priorities. Building upon his earlier commitment to a comprehensive Zero to Five plan, the president proposed significant investments in early childhood programs. They include:

• a $989 million increase for Head Start and Early Head Start to maintain American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding levels;
• $1.6 billion increase in the Child Care and Development Block Grant; and
• Support for pending legislation that would provide $8.9 billion over 10 years for the Early Learning Challenge Fund.

Resources:

For more information on early childhood programs in the president's proposed federal budget, please see: 

Advocacy Organizations' Budget Briefs

• National Women’s Law Center
• Zero to Three
  • Baby Monitor
• Early Ed Watch
• National Association for the Education of Young Children
• Ounce of Prevention Fund

Government Information

• Office of Management and Budget (OMB) budget proposal
• Department of Education
  • Press Release
  • Budget Summary
• Department of Health and and Human Services
  • Press Release
  • Budget Summary

See California media coverage of early learning in the FY 2011 budget.