PPF survey: Child care providers in a tough spot

The latest report of our research project on high-quality early childhood education finds that child care providers in southeast Wisconsin perceive certain quality improvements as too costly.

The findings fit with the results of our recent parent survey, which found parents do not demand certain markers of quality, such as accreditation.

The result is that providers looking to make improvements, such as obtaining accreditation, are in a tough spot: the improvements are costly and they will have a hard time passing the costs onto parents.

Which begs the question, Do policymakers value high-quality care enough to provide financial incentives to providers for making improvements? At the state level, so far the answer has been "no."

Coverage of the report is in the June 6 Business Journal.