First Things First

Reading proficiently by third grade is a critical milestone for Arizona’s children. Strengthening the quality of the state's early childhood system is a foundational step. A portion of the $8.4 million federal Preschool Development Grant will be used to help child care providers improve the quality of their care by joining the Quality First program. This one-year grant is only a stepping stone to a long term solution.

“We’ve seen a big difference over the years. Now we’re seeing about 85% of our providers who are reaching those quality levels,” said Angela Rabago, First Things First Chief Early Childhood Systems Officer.

Read more:
12news.com/article/news/i…

Arizona ranks low on the list for the number of 4-year-olds attending preschool. Affordability is a large reason. First Things First Chief Early Childhood Systems Officer Angela Rabago spoke to ABC15 about the importance of a quality preschool experience. “We are only serving a fraction of the kids who need preschool services,” she said. “Nationally, when you look at where Arizona ranks, we’re way down.”

Read more: abc15.com/news/education…

First Things First funds a wide range of early childhood programs through voter-approved tobacco tax funds. Consumers migrating from traditional cigarettes to vaping and other nicotine products has caused a sharp decline in funding for those programs. FTF currently operates with about $80 million less in revenue annually than when it started almost 20 years ago. ”We’ve had to reduce the amount of programs that are funded," said Joe Barba, FTF Senior Director of Government Affairs. "That means less children being served." Closing the tax loophole would create sustainable funding to maintain essential early childhood programs.

Read more: 12news.com/article/news/i…

In State Fiscal Year 2025, engaging the business and economic development sector was a key factor in finding long-term solutions for the child care crisis—and early childhood in general.

Throughout Arizona, over 15 chambers of commerce have adopted early childhood as a policy priority on their public policy agendas. That's a win we're continuing to build upon! For our economy, our communities, and babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

See how First Things First is helping create a working future for Arizonans: FirstThingsFirst.org/business-take-…

We recently delivered a letter of support to Arizona’s legislators. It was signed by over 1,000 individuals, local governments, tribal nations, various elected officials, business owners and economic development groups.

“Those signatures speak to the awareness that early childhood education programs and access to quality child care for working families are central to a healthy Arizona economy, as well as continued family stability,” said FTF Senior Director of Government Affairs Joe Barba.

Read more: firstthingsfirst.org/2026/03/letter…