Including Family Child Care in Pre-K Systems: An Update at the Local Level

This project explores the role of Family Child Care (FCC) homes in publicly funded pre-K programs across the 75 largest U.S. cities. Research consistently shows that high-quality pre-K programs better prepare children for school, leading states and cities to invest in early learning opportunities. The report evaluates the degree to which pre-K programs operate in these cities, focusing on those with dedicated funding sources beyond state programs.

Our findings show that in 2022-2023, 73 out of 75 cities operated at least one state pre-K program, with 20 cities, including Washington, D.C., running additional city-funded programs. These programs are delivered in various settings, including private child care centers, Head Start agencies, and FCC homes. In cities like Denver, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle, a higher percentage of children are enrolled in FCC homes compared to state-operated programs, though the percentages remain relatively low.

This report provides an overview of FCC participation in city/county public pre-K programs and highlights strategies used by several cities and one county to support FCC integration. It also includes data and recommendations on how cities can improve FCC inclusion to benefit families who rely on home-based care settings. For more details, please see our full report and methodology in Appendix A.