Governor's budget proposal boosts child care affordability, says Start Strong NJ 

TRENTON, NJ – Governor Mikie Sherrill’s proposal to add $18 million to fully reopen New Jersey’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) is an important step toward helping working families afford child care, the Start Strong NJ statewide coalition of parents, child care providers, businesses, and advocates said.

“In a very challenging budget year for the state, it’s encouraging to see children and families remain a priority,” said Winifred Smith-Jenkins, Start Strong NJ Co-chair and Director of Early Learning Policy and Advocacy at Advocates for Children of New Jersey. “Reopening the Child Care Assistance Program means thousands of working families can once again get the financial support they need to afford child care. For thousands of New Jersey parents, child care is the single largest household expense. Without assistance, they are forced to make impossible choices between working and caring for their children. Child care is not only critical to children’s development and early learning, it is essential economic infrastructure that enables families to work and sustains business productivity.”

Due to a funding shortage, the state last summer stopped accepting new applications for CCAP child care subsidies.

Start Strong NJ noted that the proposed budget also includes several significant investments supporting young children and working families: $12.4 billion in Pre-K–12 formula aid -- the largest amount in state history and a record $1.4 billion for Preschool Education Aid, a 9% increase over the current budget will support nearly 300 communities in providing state-funded preschool.

“Continued funding for public preschool and strong investments in early education will benefit all New Jersey residents and businesses,” said Meghan Tavormina, Start Strong NJ Co-chair and Director of Public Policy at the New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children.  The state has made important investments in expanding preschool programs in recent years. As that work continues, strengthening partnerships between school districts and trusted community-based providers will be critical — not only for expanding availability of preschool, but for maintaining a stable early childhood system that includes infant and toddler care, care during non-school hours, and supports the sustainability of community programs.”

Start Strong NJ also welcomes the proposed budget’s continued support for family tax credits, including the New Jersey Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, which help ease financial pressure on working families. In the budget that takes effect July 1, the state expects to invest $24 million in the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit and $207 million in the Child Tax Credit.

“Together, these investments — from reopening CCAP to maintaining strong preschool funding and family tax credits — recognize the real cost of raising children and the need to support working parents,” Smith-Jenkins and Tavormina said. “We look forward to continuing to work with Governor Sherrill and the Legislature to strengthen child care in New Jersey.”

Start Strong NJ’s recently released Blueprint for Affordable Child Care: New Jersey Doesn’t Work Without It outlines a path forward built on three core principles:

• Affordable child care for all families who need it
  • Compensate early childhood educators as the professionals they are
  • Recognize and fund child care as essential economic infrastructure

With continued leadership and sustained investment, New Jersey can build a child care system that supports working families, sustains child care providers, helps businesses grow, and gives all children the strong start they deserve.

About Start Strong NJ 

Start Strong NJ is a statewide campaign to put affordable, high-quality child care within reach of all New Jersey families. Inclusive and nonpartisan, Start Strong NJ recognizes that child care is an economic imperative for New Jersey rather than a problem that individual families can solve on their own. Led by Advocates for Children of New Jersey and New Jersey Association of the Education of Young Children, Start Strong NJ brings together parents, early childhood educators, business leaders, policy experts, and others who want to give every child the strong start needed for lifelong health and well-being.