Recent Examples of States and Cities Filling the Child Care Gaps

Headlines about child care often focus on the rising costs and lack of accessible child care openings for families throughout the nation. This one from the New York Times: “Flexibility and Rising Costs Are Keeping Mothers at Work” shows some optimism about how employers are offering more flexibility for workers, but it also highlights how many families are still forced to work more in order to cover rising child care costs. 

As the cost of child care continues to outpace inflation, some states and cities are advancing policies and making historical investments to help close the gap families face when seeking affordable, accessible care. Here are a few recent examples: 

• NPR’s “Seeing the need, more cities and states are stepping up to help provide child care,” outlines how some states and cities have started helping cover the rising costs of child care, including: 
  • New York City’s plan to expand its free preschool program to include 2-year-olds, which the state of New York plans to cover the costs for in its 2027 budget. 
  • San Francisco’s expansion of its free or subsidized child care to families who make up to $310,000.
  • Read the transcript or listen to the full audio from NPR.

• A number of states made record-setting investments in child care during 2025, according to national not-for-profit Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA)’s “State Session Round-Up: Summer 2025.” This includes states like Texas and Oregon eliminating some regulatory restrictions while maintaining safety to encourage the entrance of new child care businesses. 
• New Mexico recently signed into law its free, universal child care as well as a bill that eases zoning restrictions on licensed child care homes that are located in residential areas. 
• West Virginia recently passed along a child care bill for the governor’s signature that will expand a tax credit for employers providing child care for their employees and aims to stabilize child care centers’ revenue. 
• In Colorado, several communities are hoping to fill the child care funding gap through local tax measures similar to the one that funds Denver Preschool Program. 

With Denver Preschool Program on the cusp of celebrating our 20th year anniversary, we have long been a leader in public funding for child care. For Denver families, check out our guide to lower your preschool costs and early childhood resources page for ways to lower your child care costs.