Earlier this month, I spoke at “Growing Vermont: A Conversation on the Future of Child Care,” a town hall event hosted by the Let’s Grow Kids Action Network that marked two years since the passage of Act 76.
In Act 76, Vermont’s landmark child care law passed in 2023, the Legislature gave Building Bright Futures a clear responsibility: to monitor both the implementation and the impact of this law, and to make sure that data and evidence guide the way forward.
To learn more about what progress we’re seeing so far, watch the video or read more below.
(Link starts at 42:37, at the beginning of Morgan’s remarks)
First, there is real progress to celebrate. Vermont now has the highest income eligibility for child care assistance in the country. Families earning up to 575% of the federal poverty level can qualify for help. That means thousands more families—middle-income as well as low-income—are finding relief. Already, over 1,800 families above 350% of the federal poverty level enrolled in financial assistance for the very first time because of expanded eligibility.
We’ve also streamlined the process to make it easier for families to access support. In just the first two months after Vermont launched the new online application, 1,500 families applied for child care financial assistance—a clear signal of both the demand and the difference Act 76 is making. And for the first time, families previously excluded because of documentation status are now eligible for support, expanding access to some of our most vulnerable communities.
But our monitoring also shows where challenges remain. Even with eligibility expanded, not all families are able to access the support—especially New American families and those facing language or outreach barriers. We also know that our systems still don’t fully capture all of the data we need to understand families’ experiences. And with the federal policy landscape continuing to evolve, it will be more important than ever to monitor closely and protect Vermont’s historic investments in child care so families don’t lose ground.
That’s why our role at Building Bright Futures is so important. And we don’t do it alone. Through partnerships with the Child Development Division, First Children’s Finance, VTAEYC, national research partners like Child Trends, and projects like the RAPID survey from the Stanford Center on Early Childhood, we’re able to combine high-quality data with the lived experiences of families and providers. You can explore that data on Building Bright Futures’ website, where you can read our annual State of Vermont’s Children report and dig into the details through our Data & Policy Center. Together, this gives policymakers the clearest picture of how Act 76 is working—and where our systems serving young children and families still need strengthening.
This is a moment of momentum—and of responsibility. Vermont has taken bold steps toward transformational change. The early wins prove what’s possible when investment is paired with accountability.
Now the work is to keep listening, keep adapting, and keep improving—so that Act 76 doesn’t just spark change, but delivers lasting change for every child in Vermont.
The true measure of our success will be simple: every child and every family, thriving.
Tune in to Vermont Edition on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, at noon or 7 p.m., when Dr. Morgan Crossman will participate in a conversation about the state of pre-K in Vermont as part of Vermont Edition’s School Stories series.
