Governor Pete Ricketts signed LB351 into law today, allowing child care providers transitioning to a new license type to serve more children to retain their rating in Nebraska Step Up to Quality. Read More
LB351 seeks to remove barriers for early childhood providers by allowing them to retain their quality rating in Step Up to Quality if they change license type. The bill recently advanced to Select File. Read More
This guide was compiled for early childhood educators and business owners to provide additional information regarding the taxable status of state and federal COVID-19 relief funds. Read More
First Five Nebraska (FFN) recently collaborated with early childhood partners and policymakers on the release of the Appropriations Committee of the Nebraska Legislature LR390 Interim Study Report, which examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our state's early childhood workforce and infrastructure. Read More
President-Elect Joe Biden unveiled a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill which includes additional funding and emergency tax relief to bolster the child care industry and provide crucial financial relief to struggling families. Read More
Interim study LR390 is underway to examine the fiscal and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nebraska’s early childhood workforce and early childhood care and education system. FFN and public and private partners are developing potential policy recommendations based on what was learned. Read More
FFN hosted a webinar with Nobel Laureate James Heckman and researchers from the Nebrasks Bureau of Business Research on the impact of child care to our state. Studies tell us quality early care and learning can yield as much as a 13% return on investment, and at the same time, our state could lose nearly $1.4 billion annually in direct and indirect losses if we fail to strengthen Nebraska's earlly childhood infrastructure. Read More
The Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry is hosting its annual Fall Forums, looking at how Nebraska is faring with the pandemic and ongoing recovery efforts. Read More
Mariah Stowe, a Lincoln child care provider, testified on LR390 before the Legislature's Appropriations Committee on the tough decisions facing child care professionals during COVID-19. Read More
FFN's Elizabeth Everett tesified at a legislative hearing for LR390 this week, along with experts from the Nebraska Early Childhood Workforce Commission, the state’s early childhood system, business and child care. Read More