Source: First Focus – June 27, 2012
First Focus recently published Children’s Budget 2012, an analysis of more than 180 federal investments in children. The report finds that discretionary spending on children has declined for two consecutive years, overall investments in children declined in 2012, relative to 2011, and the share of federal spending going to children decreased by 6% as American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds ran out. On a positive note, the report finds that spending on early childhood increased by 2.8% percent in inflation-adjusted spending from 2008 to 2012, mostly from a $700 million increase in Head Start from 2010 to 2012. An interactive version of the new report allows users to compare investments by program and/or funding category.
