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Early Childhood Profile

 OverviewHealth and Nutrition

State policies that promote health, education, and strong families can help the early development and school readiness of America's youngest citizens. This profile highlights Connecticut's policy choices alongside other contextual data related to the well-being of young children.

State Highlights1

In 2009, Governor Jodi M. Rell eliminated the state's Early Childhood Research and Policy Council and reduced funding for the Early Childhood Cabinet from $35 million to $75,000. As a result, the Connecticut legislature passed a bill to establish the Office of Early Childhood Planning, Outreach and Coordination within the Department of Education with the goal of maintaining the functions of the Early Childhood Cabinet. Further cuts decreased Connecticut's pre-kindergarten funding levels by 5 percent ($4.6 million), for a total of $74.8 million available for programs. Funding for prekindergarten will likely remain at this level through FY 2011.

  • Young children (under age 6)2: 253,416
Young children by income, 2008

Young children by income, 20082

Young children by race/ethnicity, 2008

Young children by race/ethnicity, 20082

Exposure to multiple risk factors* among young children, 2008

Exposure to multiple risk factors* among young children, 20083


 Health and Nutrition

Data Notes and Sources

Last Updated: December 4, 2009

Send us recent developments to update your state's profile.

  1. State Highlights are drawn from states' government and organization websites and reports. For more information, contact ITO@nccp.org.
  2. State data were calculated from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (the March supplement) of the Current Population Survey from 2007, 2008, and 2009, representing information from calendar years 2006, 2007, and 2008. NCCP averaged three years of data because of small sample sizes in less populated states. The national data were calculated from the 2009 data, representing information from the previous calendar year.
  3. National and state data were calculated from the 2008 American Community Survey.