The House Appropriations Committee funds early childhood care and education services for eligible families through the Child Care Subsidy Program, Mixed Delivery, and the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI).
These programs expand access to quality childcare and education services, allowing parents to participate in the workforce and prepare children for kindergarten.
69,814
Publicly funded slots for early learners in 2025
$16,380
Average cost for a toddler enrolled in early childhood education in 2024
51%
of students area ready to enter Kindergarten with literacy, mathematics, self-regulation and social skills
Budget Overview
Early Childhood Care and Education services are supported through a combination of local, state and federal funds.
Beginning in the 2024-2026 biennium, $441.5 million in general funds have been appropriated to support additional child care subsidy slots. Previously, the subsidy was only supported with federal funds.
| Local | Localities participating in the Virginia Preschool Initiative provide a local match | In FY 2026, the local match for VPI is $114.1 million |
| State | General Funds support all three early childhood programs | $461.7 million |
| Federal | The federal Child Care Development Block Grant supports a portion of the Subsidy program. | $131.5 million |
Program / Policy Highlights
- Child Care Subsidy Program
Provides 43,500 children from eligible lower income families with access to full-day services at 3,107 private early childhood centers across the Commonwealth. For these services, families contribute a copayment ranging from $5/month to 5% of the families’ income.
- Mixed Delivery
Supports 2,700 slots for eligible lower-income families to access full-day child care and preschool services through innovative public-private partnerships. For these services, families contribute a copayment ranging from $5/month to 5% of the families’ income.
- Virginia Preschool Initiative
Serves 23,500 3 and 4-year old children primarily in public school settings during the school day at no cost to families, with participating localities providing matching funds.
- Virginia Quality Birth to Five System (VQB5)
Ensures early childhood programs accepting public funds provide high quality instruction through third-party classroom evaluations.
Reports and Presentations
Budget 101
Resources and Deep Dives
Staff Contact
