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Early Childhood Profile

Health and NutritionEarly Care and EducationParenting and Economic Supports

State Choices to Promote Access

Access to early childhood development programs, by age*, 2006

Access to early childhood development programs, by age*, 20061

  • Set the income eligibility limit for child care subsidies at or above 200% FPL. [2008]2
    A family of three was eligible up to $34,176, or 194% FPL. This reflects no change in the FPL percentage from 2007.
  • Increased the child care subsidy reimbursement rate within the last two years to be at or above the 75th percentile of the market rate. [2008]3
  • Annually redetermine eligibility for child care subsidies, which can promote consistent caregiving relationships. [2008]4
    Eligibility redetermined every six months.
  • Supplement Early Head Start with state or other federal funds. [2008]5
  • Fund a pre-kindergarten program and/or supplement Head Start. [2008]6

State Choices to Promote Quality

Subsidized child care, by setting, 2005

Subsidized child care, by setting, 20057

Fourth grade students testing proficient or better in reading**, 2007

Fourth grade students testing proficient or better in reading**, 20078

  • Require one adult for every 10 4-year-olds, and a maximum class size of 20 in child care centers. [2007]9
    Child care regulations require one adult for every 12 children, and a maximum class size of 30.
  • Require one adult for every four 18-month-olds, and a maximum class size of eight in child care centers. [2007]9
    Child care regulations require one adult for every 5 children, and a maximum class size of 12.
  • Allocate state or federal funds for a network of infant/toddler specialists that provide assistance to child care providers. [2009]10
  • Have early learning standards or developmental guidelines for infants and toddlers. [2008]11
  • Have an infant/toddler credential. [2009]10
  • Require through regulation that infants and toddlers in child care centers be assigned a consistent primary caregiver. [2008]12
Health and NutritionParenting and Economic Supports

Data Notes and Sources

Last Updated: September 24, 2009

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

  1. Number of children (2007): State data were calculated from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (the March supplement) of the Current Population Survey from 2006, 2007, and 2008, representing information from calendar years 2005, 2006, and 2007. NCCP averaged three years of data because of small sample sizes in less populated states. The national data were calculated from the 2008 data, representing information from the previous calendar year.
    Early Head Start and Head Start Actual Enrollment (2006): National Child Care Information Center, The Child Care and Development Fund Report of State and Territory Plans, FY 2006-2007 p. 158, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, 2006.
    State Pre-K enrollment (2006): W. Steven Barnett, Jason Hustedt, Kenneth Robin, and Karen Schulman, The State of Preschool: 2006 State Preschool Yearbook, National Institute for Early Education Research, 2006.
    Birth to 2 Special Education, Part C (2006): U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Data Analysis System (DANS), OMB #1820-0557: "Infants and Toddlers Receiving Early Intervention Services in Accordance with Part C," 2006. Data updated as of July 15, 2007.
    Ages 3 to 5 Special Education, Part B (2006): U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Data Analysis System (DANS), OMB #1820-0043: "Children with Disabilities Receiving Special Education Under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" 2006. Data updated as of July 15, 2007. (accessed January 30, 2008).
    Subsidized Child Care (2006): National Child Care Information Center, The Child Care and Development Fund Report of State and Territory Plans, FY 2006-2007 p. 158, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, 2006.
  2. Karen Schulman and Helen Blank, State Child Care Assistance Policies 2008: Too Little Progress for Children and Families, National Women's Law Center, September 2008.
  3. State reimbursement rates are compared to the 75th percentile of market rates (the rate that allows parents access to 75 percent of providers in their community) because federal regulations recommend that rates be set at this level. A state is considered to have rates that were based on current market prices if the market survey used to set its rates was conducted no more than two years earlier (so, for example, rates used in 2005 were considered current if set at the 75th percentile of 2003 or more recent market rates). The data in these tables reflect states' basic rates. Some states may have higher rates for particular types of care such as higher-quality care or care for children with special needs.
    Karen Schulman and Helen Blank, State Child Care Assistance Policies 2008: Too Little Progress for Children and Families, National Women's Law Center, September 2008.
  4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Report of State and Territory Plans, FY 2008-2009, 2008. http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov (Accessed February 24, 2009)
  5. Rachel Schumacher and Elizabeth DiLauro, Building on the Promise: State Initiatives to Expand Access to Early Head Start for Young Children and their Families, Center for Law and Social Policy and Zero to Three Policy Center, April 2008.
  6. W. Steven Barnett, Dale J. Epstein, Allison H. Friedman, Judi Stevenson Boyd, Jason T. Hustedt, The State of Preschool 2008, National Institute for Early Education Research, 2008.
  7. Data represent the sum of children served in the specified location, regardless if the provider is licensed/regulated or legally operating without a license. Family home includes children served in group home care.
    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Child Care Bureau. Child care and development fund administrative data federal fiscal year 2005 [Computer file]. ICPSR04379-v1. Rockville, MD: Anteon Corporation, Child Care Automation Resource Center [producer], 2008. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2008.
  8. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Educational Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2007 Reading Assessment.
  9. National Child Care Information Center, "Child-Staff Ratios and Maximum Group Size Requirements in 2007," October 2008, http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov (accessed February 25, 2009).
  10. ZERO TO THREE, personal e-mail (received March 5, 2009) based on information gathered as of February 9, 2009.
  11. Zero to Three, personal email (received September 12, 2008) based on information gathered in September 2008.
  12. National Association for Regulatory Administration and the National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center, The 2007 Child Care Licensing Study: Final Report, April 2009, pg 89. Available at http://www.naralicensing.org (accessed April 3, 2009)