Urgent Action Needed Today: Budget Close Out
Dear EveryChild California Members,
The time to speak up is now, and the window is closing.
Budget negotiations are underway, and the Legislature is making decisions right now about what will and will not be in the 2026-27 enacted budget. The Governor's May Revise offered no meaningful protections for our programs or the families we serve. We need the Legislature to go further. And they need to hear from you.
What Is Happening
In the Governor’s budget there is no continuation of the hold harmless, there is no funding to support the work around rate reform, there is no support to provide contract earning flexibilities, there is no support for shoring up programs under a prop 98 guarantee, there is no support for providing relief for unfunded mandates. There is no indication that this Governor is the “child care” Governor he once promised.
Years of underinvestment in the child care and early learning space are being magnified with expansions and investments in TK. While TK expansion has served middle-class families, it has devastated the mixed-delivery model that was designed to meet the diverse cultural and developmental needs of our youngest learners, particularly our families with the highest need. This is not what was promised in the Governor’s Master Plan for Education, this is not the mixed-delivery system our communities need.
The hold harmless protections that have masked this damage are ending. The true financial impact is about to become visible, and if the Legislature does not act now, the damage will be irreversible.
The Governor's May Revise Falls Short
There is nothing in the May Revise that stabilizes center-based contracts, protects enrollment-based earnings, or provides a safety net for the lowest-income families who have no TK alternative. The budget as proposed leaves our field exposed and California's most vulnerable children without a safety net.
The Legislature has the power to change that. But only if they hear from providers in their own districts.
What We Need in the 2026-27 Enacted Budget
We are asking every member to contact their Assembly member and State Senator and urge them to include three critical provisions in the final enacted budget:
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APP contract stabilization to ensure Alternative Payment programs can continue serving low-income working families without being destabilized by enrollment fluctuations
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A flex factor for direct contracting programs so that center-based providers are not penalized for enrollment losses driven by state policy decisions outside our control
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Moving CCTR and CSPP into Prop 98 funding to provide the stable, protected funding our programs need to survive and serve California's most vulnerable children
These are not new ideas. They are reasonable, targeted solutions to a crisis the Legislature helped create. We need them in the final budget, not a future budget, not a study, not a placeholder. This one.
How To Find Your Legislator
It takes less than two minutes:
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Enter your program's address or home address
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Your Assembly member and State Senator will appear along with their contact information
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Use the contact form on their website or call their district office to send your letter
We recommend contacting both your Assembly member and your State Senator.
Your Story Matters
Legislators respond to constituents, and they respond to real world numbers If you are worried about closing classrooms, share how many. If you may have to lay off staff, share the size and scope. If children will lose access to care, share how many children will have to find alternative care.
[TAKE ACTION: Use the Template Letter Below and Send It Today]
[TEMPLATE LETTER BEGINS HERE — personalize the sections in brackets]
Dear [Assembly Member / Senator Last Name],
I am a child care and early education provider in your district. I am writing to ask for your help as the Legislature finalizes the 2026-27 state budget.
Years of underinvestment in the child care space are being magnified with investments in TK. While TK expansion may meet the needs of middle-class families, it has devastated the mixed-delivery model that was designed to meet the diverse cultural and developmental needs of our youngest learners, particularly our families with the highest need. This is not what was promised in the Governor’s Master Plan for Education, this is not the mixed-delivery system our communities need.
The hold harmless protections that have masked this damage are ending, and the true financial impact on our programs is about to hit.
In the past [X months / year], our program has lost [X children / X families] due to underinvestments in ECE. . [ONE SENTENCE about what that means for your program financially or operationally.]
The Governor's May Revise does nothing to address this. We are asking the Legislature to include three specific solutions in the 2026-27 enacted budget:
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APP contract stabilization to ensure Alternative Payment programs can continue serving low-income working families without being destabilized by enrollment fluctuations
-
A flex factor for direct contracting programs so that center-based providers are not penalized for enrollment losses driven by state policy decisions outside our control
-
Moving CCTR and CSPP into Prop 98 funding to provide the stable, protected funding our programs need to survive and serve California's most vulnerable children
Once these programs close, they do not come back. The Legislature helped create this crisis. We are asking you to help fix it, in this budget.
I would welcome a conversation with you or your staff. Please reach me at [PHONE / EMAIL].
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Program Name]
[City, County]
[TEMPLATE LETTER ENDS HERE]
If you have questions or want help personalizing your letter, reach out to us at info@everychildca.org. We are here to support you.
Thank you for everything you do, and for raising your voice when it matters most.
In partnership,
Nina Buthee
Executive Director, EveryChild California