The State of Connecticut has created a permanent savings account — the Early Childhood Education Endowment — to help fund early childhood education. The savings account will grow over time, and as it grows, so will the number of families it can help.
Proceeds from the Endowment will help more families access child care, support higher wages for educators, improve child care facilities, and more. The Endowment marks a landmark investment in the future of Connecticut’s child care system — strengthening providers and supporting families across the state.
The Endowment funds OEC programs
The Endowment isn’t a program itself. Instead, it’s a source of money that helps expand funding for OEC early care and education programs and initiatives, like Early Start CT and Smart Start.
We’re investing Endowment funds in CT’s newest program, Early Start CT. This program combines Child Day Care Contracts, School Readiness Grants, and State Head Start Supplement Grants into 1 new program. Get more details about Early Start CT.
How the Endowment benefits families and child care providers
By funding OEC programs, the Endowment will help pay for:
- Free or lower-cost child care for more families in state-funded child care programs (starting after July 2027)
- Building new child care facilities and improving existing ones
- Higher payments to providers and higher wages for teachers
- Professional development, technical assistance, and scholarships for early education providers
- Research to help improve health insurance options for early childhood workers
Not all of these benefits are available now. They will roll out over the next few years as the endowment builds up.
While OEC won’t start offering free or lower-cost child care in state-funded programs until July 2027, we already have lots of options that can help lower your costs. Learn more about getting financial support for high-quality child care.
How the Endowment works
- The Endowment starts with up to $300 million from the State surplus. The State Treasurer invests that money so the total amount grows over time.
- Every year, a portion of the money is put it into expanding and supporting OEC programs. In 2025, up to $36 million of funding may be spent on programs and initiatives.
- The rest of the money is reinvested to keep growing the total amount in the Endowment. The usable balance of the Endowment will grow year over year.
The Endowment advisory board will guide how OEC will use the funds. The Commissioner of OEC, a state House of Representatives member, and a state Senate member are the tri-chairs of the board. Goals and rules will be set up.
The Endowment was the direct result of our work on the Blue Ribbon Panel on Child Care.
What’s next?
Funds from the Endowment are already expanding and improving OEC’s programs starting this fall. Other changes will happen over time through 2027 and beyond. We will keep you updated on opportunities as they become available.
Check out our fact sheet on the Endowment for providers. It has more details about how benefits will roll out over time.