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...
Posts by: First Five Nebraska
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,...
What unites Nebraskans? Supporting children and families
Despite what promises to be a challenging year ahead for both state and federal lawmakers, one issue continues to unite Nebraskans across political lines: the care and well-being of our youngest kids. In a new Nebraska Examiner op-ed, First Five Nebraska Deputy...
Proveedores de Cuidado Infantil & Padres: Taller de Defensa
Proveeadores de Cuidado Infantil y Padres: Taller de Defensa Unase por Zoom Profesionales del cuidado infantil y padres: ¡Ayuden a proteger el cuidado infantil!Únanse al equipo de Incidencia y Participación de FFN, en colaboración continua con la Nebraska Early...
Child Care Provider and Parent Advocacy 101
Zoom meetings this Thursday, 10/23, and Saturday, 10/25:𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲! Join FFN's Advocacy and Engagement team, in ongoing collaboration with the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative, for an empowering Advocacy 101...
First Five Nebraska Releases Statement on Federal Government Shutdown
First Five Nebraska is monitoring the government shutdown for any impact on child care and early learning programs. It is important to understand that states have multiple funding streams and flexibility in the timing for spending funds. Therefore, services are...
State Senator Teresa Ibach honored with Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Champion Award
State Senator Teresa Ibach (District 44) is the recipient of the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Champion Award, presented by First Five Nebraska during the Thriving Children, Families and Communities conference on September 16. The award honors Senator Ibach’s...
Myths and facts about Medicaid cuts
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act poses a significant threat to Medicaid coverage for thousands of Nebraskans. Learn to determine what’s fact and what’s fiction in claims that the bill will clean up fraud and abuse in Medicaid.
Nebraska’s refundable child care tax credit reaches $15 million cap within seven weeks
The full $15 million reserved by the State of Nebraska for the refundable Child Care Tax Credit has been reserved within just seven weeks of the application period opening in January. Parents and legal guardians of young children have requested more than $19.3 million...
First Five Nebraska statement on announced federal funding freeze
Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump’s federal funding freeze First Five Nebraska, a statewide public policy organization committed to the early care, education and healthy development of young children, is encouraged by the temporary block on the broad-based...
Supporting Nebraska’s workforce: How employers can help parents access the Child Care Tax Credit
Nebraska's workforce is among the most reliable and industrious in the nation. It's not just the engine that drives our economy, it represents the core values we pass to the next generation of Nebraskans: show up, work hard, provide for your family and grow your...
2025 early childhood policy update calls
Join the First Five Nebraska Policy team for a closer look at early childhood legislation in the 2025 session of the Nebraska Unicameral. Every two weeks beginning on January 28, First Five Nebraska's Deputy Director and Public Policy Manager Elizabeth Everett will...












