Early Childhood Education Endowment
Lead Author: Kate Farrar, Representative – Connecticut, CTCategory: Education
The Challenge
Many families and businesses struggle to access affordable child care, and early-childhood educators often face low wages and limited support. Without a stable funding model for high-quality early-care settings, the system remains fragmented and insufficient to meet statewide demand.The Solution
The Early Childhood Education Endowment was established in 2025 with an initial investment of $300 million and a commitment to deposit all future allocations into the fund. The initiative caps costs for income-eligible families and directs resources toward underserved areas, increased educator compensation and a centralized enrollment portal.Why It Matters
By creating a dedicated endowment to support early-childhood education, this policy ensures sustainable funding, reduces financial barriers for families, strengthens the early-educator workforce and builds readiness for children at the earliest stages. The model positions Connecticut as a national example of long-term investment in early learning.Impact & Measurement
The fund’s structure allows for tracking of:- Total endowment deployment and growing principal over time.
- Cost-capping for families and enrollment changes in underserved communities.
- Educator compensation levels and retention rates.
- Family participation and child-development outcomes tied to improved access and quality.
Expanding Access to Child Care Through Zoning Reform
Lead Author: Ryan Fecteau, Speaker of the House – Maine, MECategory: Education & Child Care
The Challenge
In Maine, local zoning and land-use regulations frequently restrict where in-home child-care providers can operate — some municipalities prohibit them entirely or require special zoning approvals. At the same time, state rules demand on-site outdoor play space, which makes it almost impossible for providers in urban buildings without private yards to open—even when parks are nearby. These layers of regulatory burden reduce provider supply, force families to travel far distances for care, and limit affordability.The Solution
Legislation introduced and passed in Maine changes zoning rules to:- Allow child-care businesses in all residential zones statewide.
- Permit nearby parks or recreation areas to satisfy the outdoor play-space requirement instead of requiring private yards.
These reforms remove both location-based bans and expensive build-out requirements, making it easier for new providers to open, especially in downtown and high-demand neighborhoods.
Why It Matters
By unlocking zoning constraints and rethinking outdoor-space rules, the initiative removes structural barriers that limit child-care supply, particularly in residential areas and urban settings. Increased provider capacity means better access and potentially lower costs for families. More broadly, the change supports working parents, enhances early-childhood access, and strengthens local communities.Impact & Measurement
While it’s not yet possible to quantify exactly how many new providers will launch under the reforms, the state is tracking several key indicators:- Increase in the number of in-home child-care businesses operating in formerly restricted residential zones.
- Uptake of urban and downtown in-home providers enabled by the relaxed outdoor-space rule.
- Reduction in travel distances for families seeking licensed care in previously underserved areas.
Camp RISE
Lead Author: Cavalier Johnson, Mayor – Milwaukee, WICategory: Improving Quality of Life / Youth Investment
The Challenge
A growing youth-disconnection crisis—in which children ages 10–13 face high rates of housing instability, food insecurity and exposure to violence—diminishes the pathways toward education, employment and long-term stability. Camp RISE responds to this pressing challenge by offering an early-career intervention before students age into traditional workforce-development programs.The Solution
Camp RISE is a trauma-informed, outcomes-driven summer program that blends paid career exploration, mentorship, mental-health supports and community enrichment in a structured camp-style setting. Participants engage with diverse industries including financial services, healthcare, government and public health. Early results from the 2024 program show:- 70% of campers feel more confident choosing a career path after attending.
- Nearly 70% report learning new skills and building connections with others.
- 97% of parents/guardians say they would enroll their camper again next summer.
- 88% of parents/guardians noticed improvements in social skills; 84% reported increased camper confidence and self-esteem.
Why It Matters
Investing in youth at ages 10–13 helps shift trajectories before disengagement sets in. Camp RISE’s approach combines practical exposure to careers with the supports needed to thrive—such as mental-health resources and peer connection—thus helping to reduce future dependency on public assistance, improve educational outcomes and curb juvenile justice involvement.Impact & Measurement
Key metrics collected include:- Percentage of campers reporting increased confidence in career planning.
- Parents/guardians’ willingness to re-enroll and observed positive changes in social skills and self-esteem.
- Industries where campers gained increased knowledge (e.g., financial services, healthcare, public health).
- Early-career pipeline effects as campers age into other workforce programs.
