Early Start CT (ESCT) is a new state-funded early care and education program that’s launching in July 2025. It combines 3 existing programs — Child Day Care Contracts, School Readiness Grants, and State Head Start Supplement Grants — into 1 program.
Extensive public feedback during Connecticut’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Child Care drove the recommendation and design of Early Start CT. Learn more about the Blue Ribbon Panel and read the report here.
OEC’s Guiding Principles in implementing Early Start CT
- Put children and families at the center of the early care and education (ECE) system
- Invest in and support the ECE workforce by providing greater financial stability to programs
- Develop a high-quality, mixed-delivery early care and education system that is responsive to Connecticut’s needs and maximizes current resources
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Early Start CT will have big benefits
- Expand child care access for families. Programs will be able to serve more families in areas that have had limited child care availability by matching spaces to need. Early Start CT prioritizes socio-economic diversity by removing family work requirements and creating an equitable parent co-pay.
- Center family and community needs. In addition to expanding access, Early Start CT will center family and community need by establishing Local Governance Partners, the new governance body that will represent each community receiving Early Start CT. Local Governance Partners will engage families, support programs, and conduct a local needs assessment to understand a community’s needs.
- Reduce financial and administrative burdens on providers. By directly contracting with OEC, providers will have reliable, timely payments and a consolidated reporting process.
- Streamline the early care and education system. Alignment of previously different eligibility requirements across School Readiness and Child Day Care into one set of Early Start CT eligibility requirements. A standardized family co-pay scale across subsidies to make it easier for families and providers alike to navigate the early care and education system.
Timeline
Early Start CT will be implemented in phases with ongoing opportunity for input.
SFY 2024 to 2025
- 1-year agreement extensions for SFY 2025 for Child Day Care, School Readiness and State Head Start providers
- Funding Stabilization Strategies implemented
- Flexible payment (“pay by classroom pilot”) — programs receive their full state-funded allotment for the first quarter of the State Fiscal Year 2025
- Early Start CT Funding process for providers
- OEC will issue 2 Requests for Applications (RFA) in November 2024. Learn more about Early Start CT funding.
SFY 2025 to 2027
- July 2025: Early Start CT launches
- Local Governance Partners and liaisons begin their work supporting Early Start CT
SFY 2027 to 2029
- All contracts for infant, toddler, and preschool spaces will be awarded through a competitive state-wide RFP process that will be informed by a forthcoming OEC local community needs assessment
- The local community needs assessment will help determine the unique and specific early care and education needs at the local level
Resources
- Early Start Resource Deck (October, 2024) [English]
- Archive of emails to providers
What’s next?
Remember, Early Start CT doesn’t launch until July 2025. You don’t need to make any changes right now.
We’ll be rolling out more information about Early Start CT on this website in the coming months. Check back for updates and explore our resources.
We’re happy to help. Email us.