An act relating to child care and early childhood education

This bill establishes a public prekindergarten education program in Vermont, making full-day early education available to three- and four-year-old children and five-year-olds not yet in kindergarten. It creates a new Department of Economic Empowerment by reorganizing the Department for Children and Families, adds a second Deputy Secretary to the Agency of Education with specific qualifications, and provides property tax exemptions for child care providers. The legislation also expands eligibility and payment rates for the Child Care Financial Assistance Program, creates a new Noncitizen Child Care Assistance Program, and introduces grants to support child care workforce retention.