Pennsylvania’s Child Care System: Access, Affordability, and Quality
Subsidized Enrollment by race of infant, toddler and preschooler
Non-Hispanic White Two or more races/ethnicities Non-Hispanic Black Non-Hispanic Asian Hispanic or Latinx
51% in high-quality
52% in high-quality
39% in high-quality
56% in high-quality
40% in high-quality
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
High-Quality
Not High-Quality
Hispanic or Latinx enrollment includes 39% other, 30% white, 15% unknown, 13% Black, 2% two or more races, 1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, less than 1% American Indian or Alaskan Native and less than 1% Asian.
Teachers are central to quality early learning experiences. Children do not learn from an adult they do not trust, and teachers’ abilities to connect with the children in their care is linked to the depth of growth and learning the children demonstrate. Teacher-child relationships are critical in quality environments and are measured through a standardized tool in assessing programs’ STAR ratings. Well-equipped and resourced facilities also enhance child development and program quality, as the environment in which a child learns is one of the “structural dimensions of care” that influence the quality, according to Shonkoff and Phillip’s From Neurons to Neighborhoods . 51 Physical space sets the stage and creates the context for everything in a learning environment. The facilities and classroom materials also play a vital role in developing infants’ and toddlers’ cognitive, social,
emotional, and physical skills. 52 High-quality child care programs are the first step in the academic continuum of a child’s life and help prepare infants and toddlers to develop the skills needed to succeed in a pre-kindergarten program before entering school.
2023 State of Early Care and Education
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