(Harrisburg, PA) January 14, 2026 – In response to the federal administration’s decision to freeze Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) payments in five states, the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA campaigns issue the following statement:
The recent decision to freeze access to Child Care and Development Fund, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Social Services Block Grant funds for California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York is a disproportionate and harmful reaction to alleged fraud confined to specific providers in Minnesota. Let us be clear: fraud within public systems is unacceptable and must be addressed with precision. However, we must also be clear that states have regular audits of these funds, many systems like Pennsylvania’s have robust program integrity measures, and federal oversight mechanisms are already in place to ensure accountability.
This reaction represents a failure of targeted governance. It punishes thousands of responsible providers, jeopardizes the livelihoods of early educators, and destabilizes care for children and families who rely on it. The potential consequences: program closures, workforce dropout, and disruption to children’s routines and their parents’ employment are severe and preventable.
The federal government possesses standard legal and financial controls to investigate fraud and recoup misspent funds without resorting to a freeze that jeopardizes the entire sector of care and education. We call on our federal partners to immediately restore funding flow and employ the precise tools of accountability meant for such situations, rather than imposing collective punishment on states, providers, and working families.
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