Blog
Federal Officials Announce Proposed Changes to Head Start
On August 6, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the most significant Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Head Start Program Performance Standards in its decades-long history. The NPRM is the first stage in a long process—one that can take...
Home Visiting Legislation Creates Positive Results for Parents, Kids
Investing in children’s lives during their earliest years helps them build the foundation for all future learning, development, health and academic achievement. One proven way to support families is through evidence-based home visiting programs. These programs pair...
FFN Announces 2026-27 Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy Class
First Five Nebraska has announced the newest members of the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy (PLA), who will participate in the 2026–27 program beginning in October and concluding in March 2027. First Five Nebraska, a founding initiative of Early...
Breakdown of the Federal Budget Process: A Guide for Early Childhood Advocates
This is the first in a series of blog posts on the federal budget process and how Congress funds early childhood programs. As First Five Nebraska continues to move into early childhood policy work at the federal level, we’ve developed this overview of the federal...
Medicaid Work Requirements are in Effect in Nebraska—Learn How to Protect Your Coverage
Last July, President Trump signed H.R. 1 into law, making significant changes to Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other social service programs. Among the many changes in this new law were work requirements for certain Medicaid...
A Bipartisan Win for Nebraska Families: Making Child Care Assistance Permanent
Nebraskans deserve the best from their elected officials. They expect us to listen, to deliberate with respect, to work together. Sometimes we fall short, but more than once this session, we got it right. On January 8, I stood united with many of my colleagues in the...
FFN’s New Affordability Calculator Shows How Much Child Care Costs Across the State
This blog post was originally published as an op-ed in the Nebraska Examiner. One of the most common questions First Five Nebraska (FFN) receives from policymakers and community leaders is “What’s the average cost of child care in Nebraska?” The short answer: more...
Nebraska Early Childhood Advocates Oppose Rolling Back Head Start Teacher Pay and Benefits
On May 12, the federal Office of Head Start published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing to rescind 2024 Head Start teacher wage regulations. The regulations required creation of wage scales and progress toward pay parity by 2031, with Head Start...
The Economic Cost of Child Care Challenges in the Greater Omaha Region
In March, First Five Nebraska released Working Families, Working Economy: An Examination of the Economic Impact, Supply and Demand of the Child Care System in the Greater Omaha Chamber Region. The report was commissioned by the Greater Omaha Chamber (GOC) to better...
Regional Collaborations are Driving Change for Child Care in Nebraska
Over the past two years, the 6 Regions, One Nebraska initiative has helped put the issue of child care where it belongs—front-and-center in economic development strategy discussions throughout the state. While awareness of the state’s child care shortage isn’t new,...
Child Care Provider: Federal Food Program Should Reimburse Everyone Equally
Editor's Note: State Senator Bob Hallstrom (District 1) introduced Legislative Resolution 296 in the Unicameral this year. The resolution supports reimbursing family child care homes in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) at the higher Tier 1 rate and...
Help Build a Better Future for Nebraska’s Children & Families
For the past nine years, First Five Nebraska has been investing in advocates—people with conviction and a readiness to take the next step in their advocacy journey and move from personal passion to public policy. The magic of policy advocacy and community organizing...