Civics 101: How Delaware pays for new projects — and why early childhood education is a case study – Spotlight Delaware

Funding Early Childhood Education in Delaware: A Sustainable Development Perspective

Delaware’s approach to investing in major initiatives, such as expanding early childhood education, involves critical decisions not only about the importance of the project but also about the methods of financing. This report outlines the three primary funding strategies Delaware employs, emphasizing their alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Current Investment and Challenges

Delaware currently allocates approximately $135 million annually to early childhood education through child-care subsidies and state-funded preschool programs. Despite this substantial investment, access to quality early education remains limited, and the costs for families and providers continue to be high. Addressing these challenges is essential to advancing SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

Proposed Expansion and Funding Considerations

Governor Matt Meyer’s January 2026 proposal aims to increase spending on early childhood education by $50 million per year. This proposal brings to light the complex funding decisions lawmakers face, which have significant implications for sustainable development and social equity.

Three Primary Funding Strategies

1. Reprioritizing Existing Funds

   This strategy involves reallocating money within the current budget from one area to another. For example, increasing investment in early childhood education may require reducing funds for other priorities such as teacher pay raises, new reading curricula, or senior healthcare programs. This approach supports SDG 10 by balancing resource distribution but requires careful consideration of trade-offs.

   • Example: Lt. Governor Kyle Evans Gay, as a state senator, identified $30 million through budget oversight to reinvest in childcare without additional taxpayer burden.

2. Utilizing One-Time Funds or Budget Surpluses

   The state can deploy surplus funds or one-time revenues to initiate new programs. While this method can jumpstart initiatives, it does not guarantee sustainable funding, posing challenges to the long-term achievement of SDG targets.

3. Raising New Revenue

   Generating new revenue through taxes or fees offers stable, long-term funding. However, it may increase costs for employers, workers, or consumers, which is a contentious issue amid rising living expenses. This approach must be balanced to avoid exacerbating inequalities, in line with SDG 10.

   • Governor Meyer’s plan includes new state revenues from cigarette and vaping taxes, supplemented by federal grants and reallocated funds.

Balancing Trade-Offs for Sustainable Development

The combination of funding sources in Delaware’s early childhood education expansion illustrates the complex trade-offs involved in public budgeting. Even widely supported initiatives require navigating uncertainties and balancing competing priorities to advance the SDGs effectively.

About the Civics 101 Series

Civics 101 is an ongoing explanatory series by Delaware LIVE and the Spotlight Delaware content marketing team. It aims to enhance public understanding of state government operations and the impact of budget decisions on everyday life in Delaware. For more stories in the series, visit the Civics 101 home page.

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The article focuses on expanding early childhood education in Delaware, directly relating to SDG 4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
2. SDG 1: No Poverty
   • By addressing child-care subsidies and access to affordable early childhood education, the article touches on reducing economic barriers for families, which aligns with SDG 1’s goal to end poverty in all its forms.
3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Early childhood education impacts child development and well-being, connecting to SDG 3’s aim to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages.
4. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • Efforts to expand access and reduce costs for families and providers relate to reducing inequalities within and among communities.
5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article mentions the use of federal grants and state funding, highlighting the importance of partnerships and financing mechanisms for sustainable development.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs Identified

1. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • Target 4.2: Ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.
2. SDG 1: No Poverty
   • Target 1.2: Reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection and access to quality essential health-care services.
4. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Target 17.2: Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments, including to support developing countries in strengthening domestic capacity for tax and revenue collection.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied to Measure Progress

1. Indicator for Target 4.2
   • Proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being.
   • Access rates to early childhood education programs, such as state-funded preschool enrollment numbers.
2. Indicator for Target 1.2
   • Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, especially families benefiting from child-care subsidies.
3. Indicator for Target 3.8
   • Coverage of essential health services and financial protection measures for families, which may be indirectly affected by child-care affordability.
4. Indicator for Target 10.2
   • Measures of economic inclusion such as affordability and accessibility of early childhood education for low-income families.
5. Indicator for Target 17.2
   • Amount of state and federal funding allocated to early childhood education initiatives, including new revenue from taxes and grants.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: spotlightdelaware.org