HB 6759: Early Childhood Care and Education

• Requires early childhood care and education program employees to be paid annual salaries according to a compensation schedule developed under section 10-531, or a greater amount if applicable, effective July 1, 2023.

• Establishes and expands the child care subsidy program to increase availability, affordability, and quality of child care services for working families and those in approved education or training programs, with income standards up to 50% of state-wide median income.

• Increases per-child cost caps for school readiness programs from $9,027 to $14,250 (fiscal year 2024) and $19,031 (fiscal year 2025 and thereafter).

• Creates a wage supplement and child care program enhancement grant program for private early childhood education providers for fiscal years 2024-2025, with $50 million appropriated annually.

• Appropriates $227 million (FY 2024) and $274 million (FY 2025) to the Office of Early Childhood, plus additional funding for Even Start programs, family child care business incubators, and local early childhood collaboratives.