Building Bright Futures
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bbf-vt.bsky.social
Building Bright Futures
@bbf-vt.bsky.social
Vermont’s early childhood public-private partnership works to improve the well-being of children and families in Vermont by using evidence to inform policy and bringing voices together to discuss critical challenges and problem-solve.
"Thanks to Vermont’s historic Act 76, child care subsidies are now available to more families than ever before," according to a new research brief from our partners at Child Trends.

www.buildingbrightfutures.org/vermonts-chi...
www.buildingbrightfutures.org
August 12, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Vermont SNAP data was just shared with the Trump Admin—putting the privacy of Vermont families at risk. Join our Data & Evaluation Committee Thurs, Aug 14 at 1 PM to develop policy recs that protect against harm and promote safe access of important programs. #DataJustice #SNAP
August 7, 2025 at 4:01 PM
According to data from the National Center for Homeless Education, the number of students in prekindergarten to 12th grade experiencing homelessness nationally increased nearly 80 percent in the last 17 years.

nche.ed.gov/data-and-sta...

www.urban.org/urban-wire/m...
More Affordable and Available Housing Would Mean Fewer Children and Young People Experiencing Homelessness
To reduce the number of students experiencing homelessness and promote upward mobility for children and young people, local leaders should focus on the root causes of homelessness and expand housing o...
www.urban.org
August 6, 2025 at 2:00 PM
BBF's 4th and final round of Vermont Early Childhood Fund funding, grants have been awarded! Projects improve the lives of children 0 to 8 in innovative ways across Vermont's early childhood system.

www.buildingbrightfutures.org/vecf/

philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/buildin...
Building Bright Futures awards $2.9 million in early childhood support
Building Bright Futures awards $2.9 million in early childhood support. The Vermont funding partnership’s fourth and final round of grants includes $1.9 million awarded to new projects, with an additi...
philanthropynewsdigest.org
July 23, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Prenatal-to-Three's Policy Impact Center recent research brief offers approaches to improving early childhood educators's compensation.

pn3policy.org/approaches-t...
Approaches to Improving Early Educators' Compensation - Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center
This brief examines the types of policy approaches states are taking to strengthen their early learning systems and better support educators, families, and children in their own communities.
pn3policy.org
July 22, 2025 at 4:35 PM
A child's most important work is play. EduTHOUGHTS shares some of the reasons way and some tips to create play based learning environments for young children.

sajeevms.com/2024/11/15/b...
Benefits of Play in Early Childhood Education for Growth and Learning - EduTHOUGHTS
Let’s understand the key benefits of play in early childhood education. Learn how play fosters growth, creativity, social skills in young learners.
sajeevms.com
July 15, 2025 at 2:29 PM
It's summer in Vermont and that means one thing for kids... Its time to get outside and PLAY!!!! Alongside the fun, play is the critical work of child development, building strong and resilient minds, bodies and nervous systems.

🛝 ⚽ 🏃‍♀️ 🌱

www.childtrends.org/publications...
How to Evaluate the Influence of Outdoor Playspaces on Child Development - Child Trends
This blog highlights tools and best practices for evaluating the mechanisms by which outdoor playspaces influence child development.
www.childtrends.org
July 14, 2025 at 5:53 PM
The Build Initiative brings us another important conversation about housing and homelessness today as a part of their Whole Child, Whole Family, Whole Systems webinar series.

buildinitiative.org/events/save-...
Under the Surface: Confronting Access to Safe and Stable Housing for Families with Young Children
You did everything “right.” Went to school. Got the degree. Landed the job. Built a life. But then your child gets sick. Over and over. Doctor visits turn into days off. Your employer grows impatient....
buildinitiative.org
July 10, 2025 at 2:55 PM
The Build Initiative offers an holistic picture of the impact of homelessness on children and families.

🏡 🌟👨‍🍼

youtu.be/38_hH3E935Q?...
No Place to Grow Webinar
YouTube video by BUILD Initiative
youtu.be
July 9, 2025 at 7:06 PM
BBF harnesses data to inform policy decision. Education systems pose unique challenges to data collection and analysis. The recent Child Trends toolkit offers best practices for schools.

www.buildingbrightfutures.org/data-page/ve...

📚🍎🚸

www.childtrends.org/publications...
A Toolkit for Schools to Inventory Data Assets and Inform Better Decisions - Child Trends
www.childtrends.org
July 1, 2025 at 1:43 PM
The current reconciliation bill being considered by congress is projected to force states cuts food support for children and families.

🍎 🍼 🥪

www.cbpp.org/research/sta...
www.cbpp.org
June 17, 2025 at 8:15 PM
The Rapid Survey Project is an ongoing national survey of households with children under 6 designed to gather essential information on the needs and well-being of children and the important adults in their lives.

tinyurl.com/rapidec-bbf-...
June 10, 2025 at 8:12 PM
BBF's 2025 policy recommendations include enacting a paid family and medical leave program. While the legislature didn't take action this session, the state did take a step forward with new unpaid leave policies.

www.buildingbrightfutures.org/data-page/po...

vtdigger.org/2025/06/09/a...
A new law opens up unpaid leave for Vermont workers  - VTDigger
“It may seem like a small step, but it is very mighty because often our previous laws need to catch up with the world that we’re in today,” said Rep. Emilie Krasnow, the bill’s lead sponsor.
vtdigger.org
June 9, 2025 at 8:01 PM
State policy matters for child and family well being. The Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center has released its 5th annual State Policy Roadmap. Check out where Vermont stands:
pn3policy.org/2024-policy-...

Explore the Roadmap:
pn3policy.org/pn-3-state-p...

pn3policy.org/a-tale-of-tw...
A Tale of Two States: The Impact of State Policy Choices on Family Resources - Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center
Since the release of our 2020 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap, every state has increased their investment in at least one effective Roadmap policy, but the choices they have made vary considerably....
pn3policy.org
June 2, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Child Trends, BBF, and Vermont’s Child Development Division (CDD) are collaborating on a four-year research partnership to understand the implementation and effects of
recent changes to CCFAP on families and early care and educate providers.

www.childtrends.org/publications...
Vermont’s State-funded Child Care Subsidy Expansion Supports Families and Providers - Child Trends
www.childtrends.org
May 29, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Vermont is a national leader in access to preK. Continued implementation and expansion faces challenges.

“If other federal sources ... start to go away, that’s going to have a really big negative impact on the states.”

www.edweek.org/teaching-lea...
Pre-K Programs Expand Nationwide, But Quality Falls Behind
Preschools experienced a boost in funding and enrollment nationwide, but a deeper look reveals a disparity in quality.
www.edweek.org
May 23, 2025 at 1:41 PM
BBF is monitoring changes being proposed in Washington to tax policy that would impact children and families. Under this proposal, 4.5 million citizen and legal permanent resident children would no longer be eligible for the Child Tax Credit.

👶 🍼 👨‍🍼

cmsny.org/publications...
New Estimates of the Number of United States Citizen and Legal Permanent Resident Children Who May Lose Eligibility for the Child Tax Credit - The Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS)
This fact sheet provides new estimates of the number of American citizen and legal permanent resident children who could lose eligibility for the federal Child Tax Credit if proposals currently consid...
cmsny.org
May 22, 2025 at 4:30 PM
VT state legislators are considering a bill that would:

👶 Expand the Child Tax Credit to Children 6 & under
🍼 Creates a refundable tax credit for unpaid caregivers

Follow S. 51's progress on BBF's Legislative Tracker: www.quorum.us/spreadsheet/...

pn3policy.org/state-child-...
State Child Tax Credits: A Promising Policy to Improve Child Outcomes  - Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center
Ever since the successful temporary expansion of the federal child tax credit (CTC) in 2021, state CTCs have become an increasingly common state policy to support families’ economic stability. Prior t...
pn3policy.org
May 20, 2025 at 6:16 PM
The Vermont House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on S. 53 this week, a bill that would expand access to doula services. Keep an eye on BBF's Quorum Legislative Tracker for updates:

www.buildingbrightfutures.org/data-page/qu...

pn3policy.org/pn-3-state-p...
Community-Based Doulas - Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center
COMMUNITY-BASED DOULAS WHAT ARE COMMUNITY-BASED DOULAS AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT? Community-based doulas are trained social service professionals who provide non-clinical emotional, physical, and inf...
pn3policy.org
May 19, 2025 at 8:24 PM
BBF's 2025 Policy Recommendations call on Vermont to enact a Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance program for Vermonters. www.buildingbrightfutures.org/data-page/en...

www.childtrends.org/publications...
Guide to Evaluating Paid Family and Medical Leave Policies - Child Trends
www.childtrends.org
May 9, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Ongoing threats to Head Start represent a setback to decades of progress in advancing equitable access to high-quality services that support child and family well-being.
vtdigger.org/2025/05/05/m...
OPINION — Morgan Crossman: Head Start is at risk and there is vital need for proactive funding solutions
The potential elimination of Head Start would represent a setback to decades of progress in advancing equitable access to high-quality services that support child and family well-being.
vtdigger.org
May 6, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Head Start is at risk. Read our full statement at www.buildingbrightfutures.org/head-start-statement
April 30, 2025 at 5:23 PM
🎉 Big news for Vermont's littlest learners! 🎉
The NIEER State of Preschool Yearbook is out. Vermont jumped from 4th to 2nd for access for 4-year-olds — and remains 2nd for 3-year-olds!
nieer.org/yearbook/2024
Watch BBF’s Early Childhood Grand Rounds with NIEER
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IV7...
Vermont Early Childhood Grand Rounds The State of Preschool June 2024
YouTube video by Building Bright Futures
www.youtube.com
April 29, 2025 at 2:55 PM
March 21, 2025 at 2:26 PM