Child Care and Early Education Coordination in the States: A Statutory Overview

This report presents a 50-state survey of state laws conducted by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). The report focuses on coordination of child care systems and early education systems, including preschool and Head Start. It also describes challenges facing state legislatures based on a recent national report on three states’ coordination policies. This NCSL survey provides a comprehensive compilation and analysis of state laws on early childhood system coordination. It addresses only a portion of this issue— state laws. Statutes can have a substantial effect on policies, although laws are only one way to affect policy. In some cases, states are developing and implementing wide-ranging policies independent of statutory provisions. It also is important to examine federal and local early childhood coordination laws and policies.