State Highlight: How Pennsylvania State Leaders Used Data to Distribute CARES Act Funds Equitably During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This State Highlight describes Pennsylvania’s Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS) and how state leaders used its data to equitably distribute CARES Act funds among their early child care providers. In round one of the CARES Act funding, Pennsylvania state leaders used their ECIDS, along with other data sources, to develop a funding formula. After receiving provider feedback, they adjusted the formula for round two of the funds distribution by creating new categories of providers in the data. For round three, Pennsylvania state leaders integrated data from a study that accounted for additional costs that providers incurred to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic.