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Pennsylvania

Statistics on children, youth and families in Pennsylvania from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children

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Under age 5
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Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children

Change Indicator

Child Care Subsidy - Enrollment in provider meeting high-quality standards in Pennsylvania

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Why This Indicator Matters

Pennsylvania’s Child Care Works (CCW) subsidy program plays an essential role in supporting low-income families by reducing the financial burden of child care and increasing access to quality services.[1] The program provides assistance to eligible families, enabling parents to work, attend school, or engage in job training programs while their children are cared for.[2] Families choose from licensed, regulated providers, which ensures that children receive care in environments that meet safety and quality standards. This is vital for early childhood development, as quality early childhood education has been shown to enhance cognitive and social-emotional skills, preparing children for school and long-term success.[3]
Enrollment in high-quality child care providers through Pennsylvania's subsidy program has increased by over 10% since 2017, indicating a positive trend toward broader access to quality early education. This upward trajectory reflects the state's efforts to prioritize quality improvement initiatives, such as Keystone STARS, which incentivizes providers to meet higher standards of care.[4] Growth in high-quality provider enrollment suggests that more families utilizing subsidies are gaining access to child care that fosters optimal child development, which is critical for closing achievement gaps and promoting school readiness.[5] Additionally, this trend highlights the increasing demand for quality care options among low-income families, further stressing the importance of equitable access across all communities.[6]

[1] The Pennsylvania Key. (2018). Child Care Works (CCW). https://www.pakeys.org/ccw/

[2] Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. (2024). Child Care Works (CCW) – Subsidized Child Care Program. Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dhs/resources/early-learning-child-care/child-care-works.html

[3] Heckman, J. J. (2011). The Economics of Inequality: The Value of Early Childhood Education. American Educator, 35(1), 31. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ920516.pdf

[4] Pennsylvania Department of Education. (2024). Keystone STARS. https://www.education.pa.gov/Early%20Learning/Keystone%20Stars/pages/default.aspx

[5] Nores, M., & Barnett, W. S. (2014). Access to High Quality Early Care And Education: Readiness and Opportunity Gaps in America. National Institute for Early Education and Center on Enhancing Early Learning Policy. Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes. https://www.compcenternetwork.org/sites/default/files/archive/ceelo_policy_report_access_quality_ece.pdf

[6] McCormick, M. (2020). Investing in Equitable Access to High-Quality Early Care and Education. Ideas and Evidence 2021. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED609336.pdf

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Definition and Source

PROVIDER

Definition

Child care subsidies are available to low-income working families to increase the opportunity for parents to obtain high-quality child care for their children while they work.

High-quality is defined as those regulated child care providers with Keystone STAR 3 or 4 designation or certified by a Pennsylvania state government-recognized accreditation. The deciding PA state government agency is the Office of Child Development and Early Learning within the Departments of Education and Human Services.

Percentages represent total subsidized child care enrollments.

Child care providers serving only school-age children were removed from the analysis.

Data Source

PPC creates interactive maps with statistics by county, legislative district, and school district. Please go to https://www.papartnerships.org/resources-publications/mapping-tools/ for links to the maps and fact sheets.

Notes

NA = Not Available.

Starting in October 2018, OCDEL did not provide data for counts less than 11. In those cases, the percent of children in high-quality could not be calculated.

Last Updated

May 2024