Employer & Family Survey Results
Hundreds of parents of young children and employers representing 25,000+ workers statewide agree that child care is so unaffordable and unavailable that Delaware is losing workers, businesses, and families.
Child Care is a Key Factor for Delaware’s Workforce and Economy: What Can Employers Do to Help?
Employers, find out how your voice can help expand child care options in our state that strengthen your workforce.
Delaware Near the Bottom in Access to Child Care
Delaware only provides access to public programs to those with very low incomes, shutting out most working families. Without assistance, child care tuition is unaffordable for most families.
Your Guide to Opening or Expanding a Child Care Business in Delaware
Interested in starting or expanding a child care business or nonprofit program in Delaware? This guide will give you step-by-step advice, a checklist, and financing resources.
Who We Are
First State Pre-K is a coalition of partners focused on expanding access to publicly funded high quality early care and education in Delaware.
"Pre-K" in Delaware refers to child care programs for ages 0-5.
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Delaware has made significant progress in recent years, but we still have a long way to go. Today, only 1 in 5 children are enrolled in a publicly funded child care program.
Why 0-5 Matters
High-quality pre-K is one of the best investments we can make. It’s linked to fuller, richer lives for kids—and their parents.
Yet Delaware ranks 42nd in nation in state-funded pre-K access for four-year-olds, and 24th among states in providing access to three-year-olds. Forty nine percent of all Delaware children are not served by any pre-k program today.
Reduced Grade Retention
Taxpayer Dollars Preserved
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HIGH-QUALITY
PRE-K
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Increased Graduation Rates
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Reduced Special Ed Placements
Decreased Crime and Incarceration
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