Report urges lawmakers to commit to early childhood education – CT Mirror

Report on Connecticut’s Early Childhood Education System and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A recent report by Connecticut Voices for Children analyzes the state of early childhood education (ECE) in Connecticut, identifying it as a fragile system at a critical transition point. The findings highlight significant challenges that impede progress toward several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). However, new state policies enacted in 2025 present an ambitious framework to address these issues, though their success remains contingent on sustained economic and political support.

Systemic Challenges and SDG Implications

The ECE system in Connecticut is characterized by structural dysfunctions that directly impact the state’s ability to meet key SDG targets. These challenges form a barrier to sustainable and equitable development.

• Lack of Access and Affordability: A shortage of available spots and prohibitive costs for parents undermine SDG 4 (Quality Education), specifically Target 4.2, which calls for universal access to quality early childhood development and pre-primary education. This also hinders progress on SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by placing a significant financial burden on low- and moderate-income families.
• Inadequate Workforce Compensation: Low wages and a lack of protections for ECE workers are contrary to the principles of SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). This issue contributes to a decline in the number of providers, threatening the system’s viability and the state’s economic infrastructure.
• Gender and Economic Inequality: The fragility of the ECE system disproportionately affects women, limiting their ability to participate in the workforce and perpetuating gender inequality, a core concern of SDG 5 (Gender Equality). The report identifies ECE as essential infrastructure, central to a thriving economy and the achievement of SDG 8.

Statistical Overview of the ECE Sector

Data from the past decade illustrates the system’s instability:

• The number of ECE providers declined from 4,527 in 2014 to 3,861 in 2024.
• Enrollment in publicly funded infant and toddler care increased by 34%, while preschool-age enrollment in such programs decreased by 9%.
• The waitlist for the Care 4 Kids program, which subsidizes child care for low-income families, grew to over 3,000 applicants by early 2025.

Legislative Interventions and Progress Towards SDGs

In 2025, Connecticut established a new early childhood education endowment, a significant policy change aimed at advancing multiple SDGs. The endowment, funded by up to $300 million from state surplus funds annually, is designed to:

• Eliminate ECE costs for families earning less than $100,000, directly supporting SDG 1 and SDG 10.
• Cap ECE expenses at 7% of annual income for all other families, making quality education more accessible as per SDG 4.

While this legislation is viewed as potentially transformative, its success depends on a favorable economic climate that allows the endowment to grow sufficiently. This highlights the need for strong and stable institutions as outlined in SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Policy Recommendations for SDG Acceleration

To ensure the new policies achieve their intended promise and accelerate progress on the SDGs, Connecticut Voices for Children proposes the following actions:

1. Maintain Commitment to Endowment Goals: Consistent funding is critical to realizing the long-term benefits for SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
2. Index Personal Income Tax to Inflation: This measure would protect the real income of households and ECE workers, supporting the objectives of SDG 8 (Decent Work).
3. Strengthen State Revenue Collection: The report recommends hiring more auditors to increase the state’s tax audit rate from 0.39% to the 3% average of other states. The resulting revenue would provide essential funding for programs that support the SDGs, aligning with SDG 16‘s goal of mobilizing domestic resources.
4. Establish Scheduling Protections for Hourly Workers: This policy would directly improve conditions for the ECE workforce, contributing to the achievement of SDG 8.

Conclusion

Connecticut’s early childhood education system is at a pivotal moment. The challenges of affordability, accessibility, and workforce stability represent significant barriers to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The legislative framework established in 2025 offers a comprehensive path forward, but its success is not guaranteed. Sustained investment and the implementation of supportive fiscal and labor policies will be essential to transform the fragile ECE system into a resilient infrastructure that promotes quality education, decent work, gender equality, and reduced inequalities for all. The current state serves as a benchmark from which future progress toward these global goals can be measured.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on Connecticut’s early childhood education system addresses several interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary focus on education, affordability, and worker compensation directly links to goals concerning quality education, poverty reduction, decent work, and reduced inequalities.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The core theme of the article is the state of early childhood education, which is a fundamental component of quality education. The report discussed in the article analyzes the availability of spots, enrollment numbers, and the overall health of the early childhood education (ECE) system, directly aligning with SDG 4’s emphasis on inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The article highlights the unaffordability of child care and discusses programs aimed at helping low- to moderate-income households. The “Care 4 Kids” program and the new endowment plan, which aims to make care free for families earning less than $100,000, are social protection measures designed to alleviate the financial burden on vulnerable families, a key aspect of SDG 1.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article points to systemic issues affecting the ECE workforce, such as “low compensation for workers” and the need for “scheduling protections for hourly workers.” These issues are central to SDG 8, which promotes sustained, inclusive economic growth and decent work for all.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  By focusing on making early childhood education accessible and affordable, especially for lower-income families, the policies discussed in the article aim to reduce inequality. The goal that families pay no more than 7% of their income for care directly targets the disproportionate financial burden on households, which is a key concern of SDG 10.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article touches upon the effectiveness of state institutions. The recommendation to hire more auditors to improve the “exceptionally low” audit rate and collect lost tax revenue relates to building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions that can fund essential public services like child care.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues and policy recommendations discussed, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  • Target 4.2: “By 2030, 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.” The entire article is centered on this target, discussing the struggle to meet demand, the plan to expand access, and the decline in the number of providers.

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  • Target 1.3: “Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all… and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable.” The article describes the “Care 4 Kids” program and the new state endowment fund as social protection systems designed to make child care affordable for low-income families.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  • Target 8.5: “By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for equal value.” The article’s focus on “low wages” and “low compensation for workers” in the ECE sector directly relates to the call for decent work and fair pay.
  • Target 8.8: “Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers…” The recommendation to “establish scheduling protections for hourly workers” is a direct call to protect labor rights for ECE workers.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  • Target 10.4: “Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality.” The article discusses a range of such policies, including the new endowment (social protection), addressing low worker pay (wage), and indexing personal income tax to inflation (fiscal).

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  • Target 16.6: “Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.” The critique of the state’s “exceptionally low” audit rate of 0.39% and the resulting “significant loss in uncollected tax revenue” points directly to the need for more effective state institutions to generate revenue for public services.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article provides several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• For Target 4.2 (Access to Early Childhood Education):

  • Enrollment rates: The article states that “enrollment in publicly funded infant and toddler care grew by 34%, while preschool age enrollment in such programs fell by 9%.” These percentages serve as direct indicators of participation.
  • Number of providers: The decline “from 4,527 in 2014 to 3,861 in 2024” is a clear indicator of the system’s capacity.
  • Waitlist size: The waitlist for the “Care 4 Kids” program, which “grew to more than 3,000,” is an indicator of unmet demand for child care services.

• For Target 1.3 & 10.4 (Social Protection and Inequality):

  • Cost of care as a percentage of income: The policy goal that families “pay no more than 7% of their annual household income” is a specific, measurable indicator of affordability and reduced financial burden.
  • Income eligibility thresholds: The plan for families “making less than $100,000 to pay nothing” for care is a clear indicator of the scope of social protection.

• For Target 8.5 (Decent Work):

  • Wages and compensation levels: While not providing specific numbers, the repeated mention of “low wages” and “low compensation” implies that tracking the average wage of ECE workers is a key indicator of progress.

• For Target 16.6 (Effective Institutions):

  • Tax audit rate: The article provides a precise indicator of institutional effectiveness by citing Connecticut’s audit rate of “0.39%” and comparing it to the average of “3%” for other state tax agencies. An increase in this rate would indicate progress.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: ctmirror.org