Mississippi
Working families in Mississippi need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children.
Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Mississippi. But too many working families in Mississippi are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Mississippi economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
In the state, 65% of children have all available parents participating in the workforce, while the average cost of care is $7,696 a year (or $641 per month).
More than 16,000 children ages 5 and under have child care costs subsidized through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), or 26% of those eligible. The average copay with a CCDBG subsidy is $245 a month.
18.5K children receive care, learning, nutrition, and other services at no cost through Early Head Start/Head Start (or 13% of those eligible for Early Head Start and 49% of those eligible for Head Start).
And 57.2K working families have the cost of their child care offset through the Child + Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC).
However, many working parents still struggle to access affordable, quality child care, which costs the state’s economy an estimated $860 million each year in lost earnings and productivity.
MISSISSIPPI: In The Headlines
$5 million in TANF funds to help with child care assistance in Mississippi
WAPT | mAY 21, 2026
The Mississippi Department of Human Services announced a $5 million investment of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds in childcare assistance for low-income working families.
Child care aid boosts recruitment, Mississippi report finds
MPB | August 5, 2026
Mississippi employers that offer childcare assistance, paid parental leave and flexible work schedules are more likely to save money and keep workers, according to a new report.
Mississippi releases kindergarten readiness scores for 2025-26 school year
WLOX | jULY 29, 2026
According to the report, 37.07% scored kindergarten-ready in fall 2025, while 55.02% met the end-of-year target score on the spring 2026 assessment.
Mississippi Resources & News
Subscribe to FFYF First Look
Every morning, FFYF reports on the latest child care & early learning news from across the country. Subscribe and take 5 minutes to know what's happening in early childhood education.
FFYF State Fact Sheets: Child Care and Early Learning, 2026
FFYF’s 2026 State Fact Sheets on child care and early learning provide state-by-state data for all 50 states and Washington, DC.
Republican Quotes of Support for Head Start
Quotes from Republican Members of Congress expressing support for Head Start and the impact it has on the communities they serve.
Through the Years: Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five
The Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program is a $315 million competitive federal grant designed to improve collaboration and quality in states’ early childhood systems by building …
JOINT STATEMENT: Groups Call on Congress to Protect Head Start, End the Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Families with young children are feeling the pain of the federal shutdown, and without immediate Congressional action, tens of thousands of children could lose access to Head …
ANALYSIS: FFYF’s 2025 State Fact Sheets
FFYF’s 2025 State Fact Sheets show how federal investments in child care impact working parents, children, and the economy. These federal programs not only benefit families nationwide, they also serve …
State-By-State: A Look At How Many Families Receive the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC)
The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) helps millions of working families cover a portion of their child care costs. In 2022, more than 5.7 million families nationwide benefitted …
How a Lack of Affordable Child Care Impacts the Economy
Two-thirds of all children ages five and under need some form of child care because all of the adults in their home are working. But child care remains both expensive …
Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care and Early Learning
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal grants to states to design and operate programs that help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. TANF plays a crucial role in …
2024 Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets
FFYF’s 2024 State Fact Sheets from 50 states and Washington, D.C. show how federal investments in child care impact working parents, children, and the economy. Federal funding and programs benefit …
New BPC Report: A Look into Child Care Workforce Licensing Requirements
Every day, early childhood educators play a crucial role in nurturing and shaping the minds of our youngest learners. Yet, the qualifications required for this essential workforce vary drastically across …
Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care & Early Learning in FY2022
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal grants to states to design and operate programs that help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. TANF plays a crucial role in …
How States Are Using PDG B-5 Grants to Support Career Pathways
The BUILD Initiative, ZERO TO THREE, and Start Early, recently released a new brief highlighting the strategies states are using to improve career pathways in their Preschool Development Grant Birth …
The Crucial Role of Early Educators and the Need for Increased Compensation
Early educators are underpaid and undervalued for the challenging and important work they do. When determining what factors make an early care and education (ECE) program high quality, it’s the …
FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets
Our new analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that child care and early learning programs have tremendous impacts on young children, their families, and the economy at …
New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program
New analysis of all 50 states and the District of Columbia from First Five Years Fund (FFYF) shows that while the nation’s main federal child care program – the Child …
How CCDBG Benefits Families in Your State
The Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that provides child care assistance to low-income working families with children under age 13. The majority …
FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets
Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal …
Mississippi — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Learn About the Positive Impact of MIECHV in Your State
The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides federal funds to states, territories, and tribal entities for voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services. This program was reauthorized in …
2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding
FFYF has released the latest iteration of its annual state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made …
Mississippi — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
States Lose Billions in Economic Activity from Child Care Breakdowns
The past year has brought on an increased awareness of the importance of child care to the economy. But even before the pandemic, families struggled to find and afford high-quality …
FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes
This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …
Mississippi: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States
On Monday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) released their 2019 Early Learning Fact Sheets which provide an overview of early learning in each state. As in previous years, CAP’s …
See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care
Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …
Mississippi: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Governors Across the Country Celebrate Federal Preschool Development Grant B-5 Funding
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Education (ED) announced that 46 states and territories have been awarded funding through the Preschool …
46 States and Territories to Receive Preschool Development Grants
Big news! 46 states and territories have been awarded funding through the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5), a $250 million competitive federal grant designed to improve states’ existing early …
