Leave it to Lisa Guernsey to keep the early childhood field up-to-date with what is happening in D.C. regarding funding.  You may remember last fall I began writing about the exciting Early Learning Challenge Fund.  It was a proposed $1 billion per year program to improve the quality of child care and preschool programs.  A bill was drafted and voted out of the House of Representatives and we were waiting for a companion bill in the Senate.  We were hopeful that the funding would be available this month. 

We learn from Ms.Guernsey with New America Foundation that, “Advocates for the early learning program have become increasingly worried that it may not materialize.”  U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, held conference calls to ease the fear that was mounting about the passage or lack of passage of this funding bill.  It is tied to a student aid bill which is in peril.  As Lisa writes, “Where will early education get its much needed funding for quality improvements? In this economy, other sources of funding are nowhere to be seen.”