State Senator Eliot Bostar (District 29) is the inaugural recipient of the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Champion Award at a presentation ceremony at the State Capitol. The award was founded this year by First Five Nebraska and will be presented annually to...
Category: Early Childhood Workforce
Child care provider shares her experience with required background check process
Leslie Baker owns five child care programs in Norfolk. She testified before the Nebraska Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee on LR191, which is examining the fingerprinting background check process for Nebraska child care providers. I own Fits &...
FFN testifies on child care cost model, background checks
The Nebraska Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee heard testimony October 11 on two interim studies, Legislative Resolutions LR151 and LR191. Interim studies are conducted after the Legislature has adjourned sine die and give senators and committees the...
Tell state senators how breakdowns in background checks hurt child care
Alert: Submit an online comment to the Nebraska Legislature by noon Central Time on October 10, 2023 The Nebraska Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee will hold a hearing October 11 on interim study LR191, introduced by State Senator Teresa Ibach to...
Thriving Children conference draws early childhood, community leaders from across the state
Last week, First Five Nebraska joined the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Nebraska Departments of Education and Economic Development, Nebraska Economic Developers Association and a wide array of early childhood organizations and community groups in...
Take action for Nebraska’s young children and families
On July 13, the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), announced a new proposed rule to amend the current Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) regulations. The changes outlined in this new proposed rule will...
2023 Legislative Overview: Progress made on early childhood issues
2023 Legislative Overview: Key themes focused on improving maternal health outcomes, alleviating financial pressures on parents and child care providers and strengthening availability and access to child care.
Historic Nebraska Child Care Tax Credit package signed into law
Governor Jim Pillen signed LB754 into law this week, an important piece of legislation that will help offset financial pressures on parents and child care providers and encourage private sector involvement in growing child care infrastructure. The bill includes...
Lawmakers score win for families, child care providers with passage of LB754
First Five Nebraska commends the members of the Nebraska Legislature who voted to pass LB754 (originally introduced as LB318), an important bill for working parents, child care providers and communities across the state. When signed into law by Governor Pillen, LB754...
First Five Nebraska leads impact study on child care subsidy eligibility changes
At First Five Nebraska, we value public policy that is grounded in research. It informs which policies we support. We stay apprised of research in the early childhood field to be a resource for policymakers in Nebraska. And we pursue research projects like The Bottom...
School Readiness Tax Credit would recognize, support child care providers
LB754, the Child Care Tax Credit Act (formerly LB318), is on Select File, the second of three rounds of debate in the Nebraska Legislature. It includes a provision to reinstate the School Readiness Tax Credit Act, which would provide tax credits for eligible child...
The ‘Iron Triangle’: Why child care programs struggle to break even
Given the high prices parents pay for child care, it is often assumed that child care programs must be very profitable. However, this is almost never the case. In fact, just to break even, a program must operate consistently within the constraints of what child care...