Additional Evidence to Help Inform Illinois Child Care System: Funding Delays Individual Needs

This presentation by Rachel Gordon to the Commission to Reform Child Care in Illinois (est. by HR 0254) examines studies of child care centers. The first study regarded funding delays from the state in 2011-2012. In a comprehensive survey through the Chicago Area Study, the researchers interviewed child-care center directors on the west and north sides of Chicago. They focused on child care providers’ experiences with the great recession and the state budget crisis, and especially disparities in experiences across communities.

In another representative national "ECLS-B" study of children's early care arrangements and their emerging reading and math skills, the researchers examined parent preferences and child development when parents combined center- and home- based care. About 20% of 4-year-olds attended both home- and center-based child care. Based on parents’ reports about reasons for choosing care, families who combined home and center care appeared to be meeting their priorities, both for getting their child ready for school and having a familiar caregiver who shared their background and beliefs.

The results offer preliminary evidence that the benefits to academic readiness of attending preschool might be achieved when children combine half-day center-based experiences with part-day home-based child care. We encourage more research on how and why parents combine part-time preschool with home-based arrangements, and children's experiences in both of these settings.