• increasing access to pre-K for 200 more children 
• increasing eligibility to families within 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level 
• increasing per-child Purchase of Care rates  
• capping family co-pays at 7% of family income and removing all co-pays for families under 150% of the Federal Poverty Level 
• increasing compensated absent days from 5 to 10 days per month 

We thank the governor and General Assembly for these investments—progress is being made and has been made over the eight years of the Carney Administration, including: doubling the number of children served in high quality pre-k and making 3,000 more children eligible for Purchase of Care.  

And there are still significant needs today in Delaware:  

• Too few families are served in public programs: Only 19% of children under age 5 are served in publicly funded early care and education. 
• Many families cannot afford care: Delaware serves families below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (below $60,000 annual income for a family of 4), while most other states serve many more families by extending eligibility to 250% of FPL and beyond. 
• Lack of access is holding back our economy: Most Delaware parents (57 percent) said they have reduced hours at work due to a lack of child care, with many others either leaving the workforce (27 percent), quitting a job (26 percent), or not pursuing a promotion (30 percent). 
• Delaware employers have called on policymakers to take action to increase access, noting limited productivity and growth due to workforce shortages. 
• Child care providers continue to operate with limited openings due to low rates of reimbursement and staffing shortages. The Purchase of Care rate is well below the national minimum benchmark of the 75th percentile of the market rate (at the 50th percentile)—and far below the true cost of quality care and education. Low rates cause providers to experience significant challenges in compensating and retaining staff. 

While this request is focused on FY26 budget, the state needs to make longer-term, transformational investments that expand access to all Delaware families. 

Contact Gov. Carney and your legislator through this message to say:  

Thank you, Gov. Carney and members of the General Assembly, for investing in early care and education for young children in Delaware! Please continue to make this a priority in the budget and build on the investments you have made by including funding to expand access to serve more families and increase the quality of the services provided: 

Department of Education: Increase access to state-funded pre-K (ECAP): 

1. Expand access for 500 more children 
2. Increase eligibility to serve families up to at least 250% of the Federal Poverty Level
3. Provide infrastructure and capital building funds to expand early care and education capacity through grants and by allowing public school capital funding to cover pre-K   

Department of Health and Social Services: Increase access to child care (Purchase of Care) for more families 

1. Increase per-child Purchase of Care rates to at least the federal benchmark of the 75th percentile so programs can open more classrooms and increase staff pay and benefits  
2. Expand eligibility to serve families up to at least 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (making about 5,000 more families eligible) 
3. Increase special education rates to cover costs of supporting children’s needs, supporting at least 20% more per child based on their needs