Recognizing that more support may be needed, thread conducted a second survey of 260 licensed child care and after-school/school-age programs in November 2020, to assess current and future needs. The results show a system still in crisis, indicating a need for continued relief and stabilization efforts. (author abstract)

To understand needs for PPE among childcare programs, the project partnered with thread to conduct a PPE survey. thread works to increase access to affordable, high-quality early care and education for Alaska’s children by providing direct services for families, educating early childhood professionals, and collaborating with communities. An online PPE survey (Google Forms platform) was distributed via email by thread with voluntary participation. The survey collected needs on types of PPE for preparedness associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey was confidential and individual answers were protected. The survey results presented help to gauge PPE needs with Alaska programs and providers. (author abstract)

This report summarizes the results of three studies on how the COVID pandemic has affected early childhood care and education (ECCE) providers, staff, and children in Arkansas. The studies were conducted by 1) the Research and Evaluation Division at UAMS (UAMS-RED) in Summer 2020, 2) SRI International (SRIARISE) in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, and 3) the Arkansas Early Childhood Association (AECA) in Fall 2020. (author abstract)

This brief represents the second of two reports on the experiences of Arkansas (AR) educators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey and focus group information for report one were collected in October and November 2020 (the findings from the first report are available online). In this report, we provide information on the experiences of a separate sample of ECE providers collected in February and March 2021. These include questions that we asked of the fall sample as well as new questions regarding vaccinations, supports for students with disabilities, and educators’ plans for moving forward. (author abstract)

Using data collected by the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) through the 2020 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study, this report takes a closer look at the impact of COVID-19 on ECE programs, with a focus on program-level challenges, staffing shortages, and disparities based on program type and center funding type. (author abstract)

This report provides a closer look at the well-being of the early care and education (ECE) workforce in California, using data collected by the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) through the 2020 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study. For decades, low levels of public investment in this sector have kept the ECE workforce—largely women of color and immigrant women—in a grim financial bind. During the first year of the pandemic, the majority of early educators continued to work in person—risking their health and that of their families—while K-12 schools closed for distance learning. This report reveals new details on the economic realities of life as an early educator during the COVID-19 public health crisis. (author abstract)

Based on a statewide survey of licensed care providers in California, this paper explores the impact of COVID-19 experienced by ECE providers, focusing on understanding the variations across different program settings. By comparing the differences in impacts between centers and family child care providers (FCCs) and among center-based programs, the study seeks to identify areas to prioritize resources and supports during the pandemic and also to provide insights into preexisting structural and systemic problems underlying the ECE sector. (author abstract)

In spring and summer 2020, during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) reached out firsthand to directors of center-based programs and home-based family child care providers, via online surveys, to understand the impact of the pandemic on their programs and on the providers themselves. We did not directly survey teaching staff as part of this study, but the forthcoming results from another study, the California ECE Workforce Study, will include perspectives from teachers. The initial survey findings were released as a brief data snapshot in July 2020. This report greatly expands upon that initial data snapshot and provides a comprehensive look at the survey findings as a whole. Here, we also introduce analysis of qualitative data, along with extensive open-ended survey responses from providers in their own words in sections titled “Ask an Early Educator.” (author abstract)

In 2019, licensed child care providers served more than 22,000 of Ventura County’s birth-5 year olds. The Ventura County Early Childhood Education Taskforce surveyed early learning and care providers to assess the status of available child care, understand the challenges providers face in continuing to deliver care during COVID-19, and identify necessary supports to ensure this vital sector of the economy remains stable. (author abstract)

To understand the status of early learning programs—80% of which serve DLLs—as well as the ways they have adapted during the pandemic and the challenges they face, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and Early Edge California conducted a survey of a representative sample of early learning and care programs in California (including school-based programs, community-based programs, Head Start programs, State Preschool programs, and family child care homes [FCCHs]). We first drew a stratified random sample of 822 programs, sampled to be representative of all providers in California. We asked all program administrators in this sample to complete a survey (in English or Spanish) and received responses from 278 programs (34%) between June 11 and July 16, 2020. To ensure that the responses were still representative of the state provider population, we made statistical adjustments where necessary. (author abstract)

The 2020, COVID-19 pandemic has invariably disrupted the lives of many families in California. This survey sought to understand how this disruption has impacted parents' child care arrangements, plans, and preferences. An online survey in English and Spanish was distributed to more than 12,000 parents, representing 55 of California's 58 counties. Responses showed that most families were currently using a child care center, family, friend, or neighbor (FFN), or family child care home (FCC), in that order. (author abstract)

Applied Survey Research (ASR) administered the online COVID-19 Impact Survey to 412 respondents in English (81%) and in Spanish (19%) from June 15 2020 to July 22, 2020. ASR invited two different sets of parents to complete the survey: 1) parents of children under six years of age who had accessed First 5 Contra Costa services and 26 families with children age 6 or over including First 5 Contra Costa Regional Group members (i.e., the First 5 sample, 62% of the full sample), and 2) a broader county-wide sample of parents of children under six years of age not connected to First 5 Contra Costa (i.e., the Panel sample, 38% of the full sample). (author abstract)

The following are key findings from an online poll conducted July 20-29, 2020 by EMC Research among 821 California parent/guardians with at least one child under age 8 who are childcare decision-makers. The survey was offered in English, Spanish, and Chinese languages. (author abstract)

This is a study of child care sites in California to determine fiscal, staffing, and administrative challenges, as well as the need for clearer regulatory guidance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. Authors used the snowball method and a questionnaire to collect data from across the state. Findings are presented both statewide and regionally in the following regions: Northern California, the Bay Area, Central California, Los Angeles, and Southern California. These five regions make up the entire state of California.

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted an unprecedented crisis in California child care. In May 2020, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) released results from a survey of more than 2,000 child care programs throughout California, painting a grim picture of the devastating impact of COVID-19. Two months later, as the state began to reopen its economy, we conducted a follow-up survey with those same respondents to understand the changing nature of California child care. A total of 953 programs responded to this survey from June 22 to July 1, 2020: 40% of respondents were center-based administrators, and 60 percent were home-based family child care (FCC) providers. This data snapshot highlights the key findings from our survey results along with responses from providers in their own words. (author abstract)

The San Diego Emergency Child Care Task Force worked to support families and child care providers the first 100 days of the COVID-19 pandemic. This coalition surveyed child care providers to assess the status of available child care, understand the challenges providers face in continuing to provide care, and consider solutions to build the pandemic resilience of our child care sector and, ultimately, our economy. (author abstract)

To further understand the challenges faced by early educators and caregivers, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and Early Edge California conducted seven focus groups in May with 32 Early Learning providers (including administrators, teachers, and caregivers) who work in a variety of settings (school-based; center-based; Head Start; State Preschool; family child care homes; and family, friend and neighbor care) across the state. Most providers from center- and school-based programs, whether publicly funded or private-pay, told us they were closed for the direct provision of on-site care while the state was under stay-at-home orders. However, some centers, family child care (FCC) homes, and family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) care providers reported that they are serving families of essential workers and other at-risk populations. Regardless, all sites reported providing supports to families through some form of communication, distance learning, or other assistance, such as connecting families to resources. (author abstract)

In an effort to understand the effects of COVID-19 on child care programs and early educators throughout California, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) conducted a brief survey of licensed child care centers and licensed family child care programs in the state. More than 2,000 programs responded to this survey from April 13-30, 2020: 34 percent of survey respondents are centers, and 66 percent are family child care programs. Many of these programs remain open: 34 percent of centers indicated that they are currently open, and 72 percent of family child care programs are open. This data snapshot highlights the key findings from our survey results along with responses from providers in their own words, illustrating the devastating impact of COVID-19 on California child care programs. (author abstract)

To measure the impact of COVID-19, Early Milestones Colorado surveyed providers in the summer of 2020 and again the following winter. This brief highlights changes that providers experienced over the past year. (author abstract)

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted families from low-income backgrounds. The shift to remote learning has required parents with preschool-age children to adapt to new ways of collaborating with teachers. Given the longstanding inequities in the education of children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, exacerbated by the pandemic, it is critical to learn about the challenges that parents encountered and how they supported their children’s learning. This knowledge will help to identify ways to better serve these communities during times of crisis and beyond. This study examined how Latinx parents from low-income backgrounds engaged in their children’s early education during the COVID-19 crisis. The term Latinx is used in an effort to be gender inclusive when referring to people of Latin American descent. We explored: 1) How do Latinx parents perceive and apply teachers’ suggested activities to support children’s learning during the early childhood education program closure? 2) What parent and child-initiated learning opportunities do parents report? 3) What challenges with remote learning do parents encounter? Twenty parents of preschoolers in a mountain state metropolitan area participated in a 30–45 min. phone interview. All parents spoke Spanish at home to a different degree. Findings revealed the emergence of more authentic parent-teacher partnerships and parents’ extensive engagement in teacher-suggested activities. Importantly, families created a variety of practices to support children’s learning and wellbeing. Yet, a vast majority of parents expressed feeling stressed with the demands of remote education, particularly keeping their child interested in remote learning. Implications for home-school partnerships are discussed. (author abstract)

Despite the ubiquity and importance of FFN care, there is limited data on the characteristics of Colorado’s FFN providers, their needs, and experiences, and most acutely, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the provision of FFN care. Thus, Mile High United Way, in collaboration with the Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work and Early Milestones Colorado, conducted a research study to address these gaps. (author abstract)

In the summer of 2020 Early Milestones developed three coordinated surveys in conjunction with multiple partners in Colorado’s ECE sector. Our goal was to estimate the impact of COVID-19 throughout the state. These three surveys focused on the quantitative and qualitative experiences of: - Licensed child care programs serving children birth through age 12 - Early educators and child care professionals - Families with children birth through age 12. The family survey was developed in partnership with the Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver (Butler Institute). Information regarding survey administration and partnership is detailed below. Additionally, we worked closely with Mile High United Way and the Butler Institute to design a fourth survey of family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) providers that was administered in early fall of 2020. The primary focus of this report is the three main surveys listed above, with select additional information incorporated from the FFN survey results. (author abstract)

Families already had trouble finding affordable child care before the pandemic. COVID-19 has only made things worse. Many child care providers have shut down or reduced enrollment, family members are out of work, and school operations are shifting every day. The situation has hit Black and Hispanic families the hardest. In the summer of 2020, Early Milestones and the Butler Institute surveyed over 11,000 Colorado families with children birth to age 12. This brief reports the findings. (author abstract)

A summer 2020 survey of the impact of COVID-19 on families revealed widespread uncertainty about education and care plans and worries about young children’s mental health. In November 2020 some of these same families spoke with Early Milestones Colorado about their education and care experiences. We focused on families with children between 4 and 12 years old who are English Language Learners or receive special education services. We highlight major challenges in parents’ own words. (author abstract)

In July 2020 Early Milestones Colorado collected survey responses from 5,942 of the state's early childhood educators. Unsurprisingly, the data revealed furloughs, lay-offs, and uncertainty about the future of their career. Ongoing concerns about health, well-being, and shortages in child care options for their own families are big factors facing educators right now. (author abstract)

As part of Colorado's COVID-19 Early Childhood Research Partnership, Early Milestones Colorado conducted five virtual conversations in July and August 2020. These discussions deepened our understanding of how the pandemic is impacting early childhood services and what supports are needed to rebuild the sector. (author abstract)

In June 2020 Early Milestones collected survey responses from 1,207 licensed child care providers in Colorado. Through this research, we learned that nearly 10% of Colorado's providers have closed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and enrollment has decreased by more than 30%. Though many providers have reopened, the following factors leave many others uncertain about their future: - Concerns about health risks to children and staff, - Enrollment disruptions, and - Increased health and safety costs. Providers who receive public funding have fared better during this crisis. Without financial help, the costs of new health and safety protocols make it difficult for many providers to reopen or remain open. (author abstract)

More than 1000 Delaware parents shared their thoughts on COVID-19, including appraisals of the just-concluded spring semester, as well as their concerns about returning to classrooms in the fall. Parents weighed in on topics ranging from childcare to health screenings to economic stress. - This non-scientific survey was distributed through email and social media between May 26 and June 22. Governor Carney's initial Declaration of a State of Emergency was March 12. - The survey aimed to gather information from parents so Rodel, the Delaware Readiness Teams, and our partners can better serve families during and after the crisis. (author abstract)

This brief summarizes early educators’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, including changes in employment and wages, supports they received, and challenges they faced. The findings come from a survey of early educators working in licensed child care facilities in the District of Columbia in early 2021. The survey is part of the larger DC Child Care Policy Research Partnership study with DC’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education. This brief is part of a series sharing other survey findings, including virtual training experiences during the pandemic, job satisfaction and workplace culture, and perspectives on DC’s new quality rating and improvement system. (author abstract)

Georgia’s Pre-Kindergarten Program (Georgia’s Pre-K) is one of the first state-funded universal pre-K programs in the nation. The program is offered to all 4-year-olds in the state (making it universal) but contains yearly “caps” on enrollment subject to appropriation. High-quality early learning programs can help students do well in elementary school and have been shown to improve school grades and social-emotional skills for years following. While policymakers in Georgia are rightly concerned with the program’s ability to prepare students for Kindergarten, there is also little available evidence on whether the state is providing an adequate dollar amount to the program to, for instance, increase enrollment. This report summarizes a survey of pre-K program directors on the expenses they incur, their perspectives on the adequacy of state funds to meet student needs and the effects of COVID-19. (author abstract)

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated many challenges for Head Start families – making the program’s role even more important. To better understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Head Start families and identify opportunities to strengthen the relationship between Head Start programs, managers, and health care professionals, Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS) and Voices for Georgia's Children (Voices), in collaboration with the Georgia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Georgia Head Start Collaboration Office, conducted six focus groups—three with Family Support Managers and Health Managers and three with Head Start parents. (author abstract)

As part of the PDG B-5’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) collaborated with the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government (Institute of Government) to gather input from licensed early care and learning providers in Georgia regarding their COVID-related needs and experiences applying for Short Term Assistance Benefit for Licensed Entities (STABLE) funds. Institute of Government staff conducted a web-based survey of licensed early care and learning providers from July 7 until July 29, 2020. Survey questions covered three general topics: 1) operational status, 2) provider needs, and 3) the STABLE Grant. This report serves to share findings from the 32-item survey of licensed early care and learning providers. (author abstract)

When schools reopen in the fall, what are the implications for Family Child Care (FCC)? In an ordinary year, it means school age children who attended full time return to school and the provider looks for younger children to fill those spots. In 2020, there is a world of unknowns for parents, school systems, and FCC providers and it revolves around COVID 19. Beginning in early summer, the Professional Family Child Care Alliance of Georgia (PFCCAG) thru its committee, the COVID 19 FCC Crisis Management Team (CM Team), began hearing from providers receiving calls from parents exploring whether the provider would be willing to: care for their child when schools reopened, offer supervision and support for their child who was in virtual school, or offer home school as part of the FCC program. The CM Team created a survey to better understand what was happening. To get a quick response, the survey was distributed by word of mouth and was conducted from July 11, 2020 to July 21, 2020. Ninety seven (97) providers responded representing 22 counties. (author abstract)

To better understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Hawaii's child care industry and our families' ability to access needed child care Early Childhood Action Strategy and PATCH, Hawaii's statewide child care resource and referral agency, reviewed data received from a survey of regulated child care providers. (author abstract)

This document reports findings of a survey that looked at parents' reopening preferences concerning child care and afterschool programs in Hawaii.

In collaboration with early childhood partners, Early Childhood Action Strategy members conducted focus group sessions with both home-based and center-based providers on all islands across the state to assess: 1. What are their most pressing concerns with meeting the child care guidelines; 2. Whether they?ll be applying for the Emergency Child Care Services Contract and what those funds will be utilized for and support; and 3. Whether additional financial (or other) supports are needed to help them sustain over the course of the next 6 months to a year. The Data Section of this report is separated by Family Child Care and Center-Based responses. (author abstract)

The Referrals and Outreach team at Illinois Action for Children (IAFC) followed Cook County parents for almost a year to learn about families’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey and two in-depth interviews developed by the Referrals and Outreach and Research teams focused on employment, child care, family well-being and children’s schooling during the pandemic. We capture the results from this three-part series in two previous reports and the current report. (author abstract)

This report, conducted jointly by the Project for Middle Class Renewal (PMCR) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI), assesses the child care crisis in Illinois. This report explores data on children up to 13 years old and examines how the unprecedented decisions to close schools and move to remote learning impacted children and working parents. Then, results from a survey of 1,030 working mothers in Illinois conducted between August 20, 2020 and October 27, 2020 are presented, including data on employment status, worksite location, school and child care facility closures, child care responsibilities, and usage of child care supports. The next section explores the statistical impact of COVID-19 and school and child care facility closures on employment and economic outcomes for working mothers in Illinois before outlining potential policy solutions that could help businesses and elected officials address the child care crisis in Illinois. A concluding section recaps key findings. (author abstract)

This report is Part II of a three-part series on the impact of COVID-19 on Cook County families. It is based on interviews conducted by the referrals and outreach team at Illinois Action for Children (IAFC). This team connects families to child care and community resources and hears firsthand how families have been affected by the pandemic. With the goal of formally documenting family experiences, the team began the project by surveying 144 parents in the summer of 2020 about their employment, child care, family well-being and children’s schooling under the pandemic. The results are captured in Part I of this report series. For this report, Part II, the IAFC referrals and outreach team conducted more in-depth interviews with a subset of the parents – 26 mothers - to learn how they were faring four to five months later, in November 2020. The mothers’ experiences are summarized below. Looking ahead, Part III of the series will capture the experiences and perspectives of this same subset of mothers’ in the spring of 2021, a full year into the pandemic. (author abstract)

From June 24th through July 14th we asked Kentucky parents and families to share their thoughts about child care and what’s next as Kentucky reopens the economy. Over 1500 responded. Their responses will hopefully help child care providers, community leaders, and policy makers better understand child care needs and plan for a future that ensures a high-quality, sustainable child care ecosystem. (author abstract)

These Fall 2021 survey results, along with previous results in the survey series, indicate providers are in a better place today than they were at the beginning of the year, but have still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels of service for families. Supports, largely in the form of grants, in 2020 slowed dire consequences for providers, and those in 2021 appeared to help providers move toward recovery. While enrollment rates increased and financial losses decreased, providers are not yet restored to pre-pandemic levels, which still leaves too many families without access to quality care for their children. For Louisiana to truly thrive, it must take the steps necessary to ensure all families can access a robust, affordable early care and education system. (author abstract)

This report takes a closer look at child care staffing issues in the wake of COVID using data from three large Louisiana parishes collected in the fall of 2020. In these communities, leaders of all child care sites that receive any public funding were invited to respond to the Study of Early Education in Louisiana leader survey. At least one leader in 110 child care sites responded, representing over 60% of publicly funded child care sites. The survey’s well-defined sample, detailed questions about staffing, and high response rate provide a unique opportunity to understand the multiple challenges leaders faced staffing their sites during COVID. (author abstract)

Much has been written about the impact of COVID-19 on teaching and learning in K-12 education, including the challenges of remote learning and increasing educational inequities, but there has been less focus on how COVID-19 has altered teaching and learning in ECE. Children’s early learning experiences shape their skills at kindergarten entry and can have lasting effects. Understanding how COVID-19 impacted the experiences and learning of the youngest learners is vital as the nation begins to recover from the pandemic and teachers work to meet children’s individual needs in the classroom. This report aims to fill this gap using survey data from 518 teachers working with children ages 3-5 in child care centers and school-based settings in Louisiana. It describes the impact of COVID-19 on teaching and learning in ECE classrooms and highlights differences depending on whether teachers were teaching primarily in person versus remotely (e.g., through online class meetings, video lessons, or learning packets sent home) or in a hybrid of remote and in person teaching. (author abstract)

This report details the findings of the fourth survey of child care providers, conducted January 13 - 27, 2021, while Louisiana remained in Phase Two of reopening. In Phase Two, ratios and group sizes for early care and education providers returned to pre-pandemic levels for children ages 2 and under. Ratios and group sizes for children ages 3 and up increased from Phase One levels, but remained below pre-pandemic allowances. The survey again asked child care providers what impact COVID-19 was having on their program or business, including financial losses, temporary closures, challenges faced, and continued funding needs. (author abstract)

We compared teacher emotional wellbeing, financial wellbeing and job commitment before and during COVID both overall and separately for child care and school-based pre-k sites using data from the fall 2019 and 2020 waves of the Study of Early Education in Louisiana Workforce Survey. In both years, surveys were sent to all teachers working with children ages 0-5, not yet in kindergarten working in publicly-funded child care and school-based state pre-k sites. In 2020, surveys were sent to sites that were open and providing care, either remotely or in-person. (author abstract)

This brief uses survey data collected in the fall of 2020 to describe the concerns that early educators from three Louisiana parishes—Jefferson, Orleans, and Rapides—have about COVID in their workplace. It then outlines the emotional and financial wellbeing of these educators, and highlights major differences in the experiences of teachers in child care settings versus schools. (author abstract)

To learn more about how Louisiana families with children under the age of 5 have been impacted by, and managed during, the COVID-19 pandemic, LPIC, with partners, conducted a survey of Louisiana parents and guardians in the fall of 2020. Partners included Agenda for Children, Louisiana Department of Education, New Orleans Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, Urban League of Louisiana, and Women United of Southeast Louisiana. (author abstract)

The third survey was conducted June 15 - 22, 2020. At this time, under Phase Two of reopening, ratios and group sizes for early care and education providers returned to pre-pandemic levels for children ages 2 and under. Teacher-to-child ratios and group sizes for children ages 3 and up increased from Phase One levels, but remained below pre-pandemic allowances. The survey again asked child care providers what impact COVID-19 was having on their program or business, including financial losses and closure decisions, and what supports were needed to help providers respond to the public health crisis. Additional questions about reopened centers and government grant programs were added. (author abstract)

This report presents findings from the Study of Early Education in Louisiana (SEE-LA) COVID-19 Teacher Survey, which was fielded between April 20 and May 29 in Jefferson and Rapides, two large Louisiana parishes. Echoing national and state-wide data, most child care sites in Jefferson and Rapides closed for at least some period of time following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic: 75% of sites represented in our data reported closing at least temporarily (e.g., Bassok, Markowitz, Smith, & Kiscaden, 2020; Guidry, 2020). The SEE-LA COVID-19 Teacher Survey aimed to better understand how child care teachers experienced COVID-19. The survey is part of a longstanding collaboration with the Louisiana Department of Education, the Jefferson Parish Early Childhood Collaborative, and the Rapides Early Childhood Network. All child care teachers who were working in a publicly-subsidized child care center in the fall of 2019 were invited to participate, including lead and assistant teachers, floaters, and other staff. (author abstract)

This report presents results from the Study of Early Education in Louisiana (SEE-LA) COVID-19 Leader Survey, which avoids this limitation by drawing on an established research-practice partnership, inviting all publicly-funded child care programs operating in two geographic areas (Jefferson and Rapides parishes in Louisiana) to participate, and achieving a substantially higher response rate than previous COVID-19 surveys. The survey was conducted in collaboration with the Louisiana Department of Education, the Jefferson Early Childhood Collaborative, and the Rapides Early Childhood Network. (author abstract)

The second survey of child care providers was conducted April 13 - 20, 2020, while Louisiana remained under a stay-at-home order, and K-12 school closures were extended through the remainder of the school year. The survey again asked child care providers what impact COVID-19 had on their program or business, including financial losses and closure decisions, and what supports were needed to help providers respond to the public health crisis. Additional questions about open centers and what specific supports closed centers would need to reopen were added. (author abstract)

LPIC conducted a survey of child care providers in Louisiana from March 16-23, 2020, in partnership with Agenda for Children, Childcare Connections for Northeast Louisiana, Louisiana Association of United Ways, Northwestern State University, On Track by 5 Alliance, Pointe Coupee Early Childhood Coalition, United Way of Southeast Louisiana, and Volunteers of America. The survey asked child care providers what impact COVID-19 is having on their program or business, including financial losses and closure decisions, and what supports are needed to help providers respond to the public health crisis. It was shared by the Louisiana Department of Education during several informational webinars held during the survey window and emailed by the Child Care Association of Louisiana and Agenda for Children directly to providers throughout the state. (author abstract)

In January of 2021 MFN followed up with the same child care providers to find out how they are faring now and received a total response rate of 28 percent. The current survey data indicates that 79 percent say they have experienced a financial loss due to the COVID-19. That number increased from 67 percent back in April of 2020. On average child care programs report paying out $5,339 per month for personal protective equipment, enhanced cleaning routines, and other pandemic related costs to keep children and staff safe. Forty nine percent of child care programs predict that they may close for good if parents must keep children home for another six months. (author abstract)

The present study explored the “new normal” of child care and the implications for parents who require child care to work including how families with children under the age of 5 are accessing child care during the pandemic, the experiences and perceptions of the multiple dimensions of early child care among parents requiring care to work, and the implications for parents’ daily lives as well as their employment, economic mobility, work hours, and advancement. A phenomenological approach was applied to the interviews to understand how parents experience and ascribe meaning to child care decision points and a grounded-theory approach was used in order to identify emerging categories of themes. (author abstract)

This brief is part of an ongoing study that is tracking implementation of the Boston Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) expansion, including effects of the COVID-19 crisis on UPK community-based centers. We use administrative and interview data to provide a descriptive snapshot of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on UPK centers so far, focusing on three areas: teacher and administrator turnover; child enrollment; and changes in practices that centers are implementing to increase safety. Unlike many programs across the country, UPK centers have continued to receive full funding for UPK slots and for child-care subsidy slots throughout the crisis. As such, the effects we describe here likely represent a “best case” scenario for centers operating in urban areas serving mostly children from families with low incomes. (author abstract)

This report includes data analysis of results from a survey of licensed early education and care providers in Massachusetts. It focused on enrollment and attendance, operational capacity, and demand.

This report provides results from a Massachusetts early education workforce survey in which directors and teachers responded with their concerns in the following areas: workforce stress, operational stress, and financial strain.

The COVID-19 pandemic has added new challenges to Boston families’ abilities to address their child care needs. This project was designed (1) to uncover families’ child care preferences, (2) identify the factors that drive these preferences, and (3) learn how families are handling work and child care issues during the pandemic. In the summer of 2020, Dr. Kimberly D. Lucas and Dr. Wendy Wagner Robeson conducted focus groups and interviews with 24 parents/guardians from the City of Boston who have at least one child not yet enrolled in kindergarten. (author abstract)

This is the first of two briefs the Birth to Eight Collaborative will publish following our 2019 first annual landscape of early childhood education and care programs in Boston. In this brief we report on important questions to help monitor the long-term impact of the COVID pandemic on our local child-care sector. (author abstract)

The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) has collected and now reports data on the impact of COVID-19 on women and girls across the Commonwealth. The MCSW recognizes the critical importance that child care and education play in the lives of women and has thus conducted targeted research through a survey with over 4000 respondents and a public hearing conducted on September 15 with representation from over 300 municipalities from across the Commonwealth. The MCSW issues this report pursuant to our statutory authority to report on the status of women in the Commonwealth. (author abstract)

The following data was gathered in September 2020 from traditionally after-school programs that became early adopters and implementers of school-age learning pods offered during the school day and out of school time (OST). The providers that participated in this survey have been operating pods since the 2020-21 school year commenced. This brief details common challenges and recommendations identified by these programs. It highlights five areas of greatest concern: Staffing Daily Operations, Communication, Wraparound Supports, and Technology and Equipment. (author abstract)

This report presents key and detailed findings from a survey, conducted August 13-26, 2020, of 599 parents of young children in Massachusetts. It looks at childcare utilization and expected arrangements for the fall of 2020, by type of care, ethnicity, and household income.

This report describes the experiences of early educators and caregivers of 3- and 4-year-old children in family child care, community-based center, Head Start, and public school prekindergarten programs during the first few months of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Massachusetts. Nearly 700 individuals working with young children and their families across the state offered insights into program operations; use of public supports; remote engagement with children and families; and personal wellbeing in the midst of the pandemic. (author abstract)

This report provides results from a Massachusetts early education survey of providers who rely primarily on parent-paid tuition models. Areas of focus include staff compensation program capacity and quality, and financial operating strategies.

This brief reports the findings from a series of telephone interviews with parents who are receiving child care subsidies in Michigan. The interviews, conducted in the summer of 2021, were designed to assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and related state policy changes on parents and child care providers. (author abstract)

This brief summarizes the findings from interviews with 24 licensed child care providers in Michigan that have experience with the child care subsidy. The interviews were conducted during spring 2021 with the purpose of assessing the impacts of COVID-19 and related policy changes on child care providers and parents. (author abstract)

In July of 2021, NAEYC conducted an online survey of over 7,500 self-selected child care, Head Start, and pre-K workers who responded to emails on listservs and other electronic communications. Respondents were asked to rank common challenges faced by programs and providers in perceived order of importance as experienced in the summer of 2021. The data is analyzed and findings are discussed on two topics: the impact of COVID-19 relief funding, and challenges related to staff retention, recruitment, and compensation. Suggestions are presented related to the continued use of of COVID-19 temporary subsidy policies to address longer-term problems.

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed child care services in Minnesota and across the nation. To help providers withstand the financial burden caused by the pandemic, Minnesota created the Peacetime Emergency Child Care Grant program (PECC) and distributed the first round of funds in April through June 2020. More information about eligibility requirements and a summary of the applicants and awards by round can be found at https://www.childcareawaremn.org/providers/emergency-child-caregrants/. This fact sheet presents findings on characteristics of rural and urban center-based applicants to the Peacetime Emergency Child Care Grant. (author abstract)

Over the past year, Minnesota’s child care providers have had to turn down the heat, buy fewer toys and art supplies, cut back on outings for their children, and dip into emergency funds—all to serve their families and stay in business. The pandemic has been challenging in both financial and personal terms for what’s long been a challenging business, according to a joint survey by the Minneapolis Fed and First Children’s Finance, a nonprofit group advocating for affordable, quality child care. (author abstract)

As the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of child care in supporting employment among the nation’s nearly 20 million working parents with young children, the child care occupation itself has suffered large, sustained employment losses. Our data analysis shows that over 40 percent of child care workers who were employed in February 2020—just before the pandemic took hold in the U.S.—were unemployed in April 2020, and total employment in January 2021 remained 20 percent below pre-pandemic levels. These workers were already in a position of economic disadvantage prior to the pandemic. They are predominantly women, are disproportionately people of color, and earn low wages. Our results highlight the need to support both child care workers, who have suffered disproportionately during the pandemic; and the industry, which is critical to our economic recovery. (author abstract)

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed child care services in Minnesota and across the nation. To understand providers’ experiences during the pandemic, an online survey was shared with child care providers between July 31, 2020 and September 9, 2020. A total of 1,898 center-based and family child care providers completed the survey. The survey asked child care providers about their experiences related to a number of COVID-19 challenges. This fact sheet presents initial findings on financial challenges and personal well-being during COVID-19. (author abstract)

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed child care services in Minnesota and across the nation. To help providers withstand the financial burden caused by the pandemic, Minnesota created the Peacetime Emergency Child Care Grant program (PECC) and distributed the first round of funds in April through June 2020. More information about eligibility requirements and a summary of the applicants and awards by round can be found at https://www.childcareawaremn.org/providers/emergency-child-caregrants/. This fact sheet presents initial findings on characteristics of family child care applicants and family child care non-applicants to the Peacetime Emergency Child Care Grant. (author abstract)

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed child care services in Minnesota and across the nation. To help providers withstand the financial burden caused by the pandemic, Minnesota created the Peacetime Emergency Child Care Grant program (PECC) and distributed the first round of funds in April through June 2020. More information about eligibility requirements and a summary of the applicants and awards by round can be found at https://www.childcareawaremn.org/providers/emergency-child-caregrants/. This fact sheet presents initial findings on characteristics of center-based applicants and center-based non-applicants to the Peacetime Emergency Child Care Grant. (author abstract)

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed child care services in Minnesota and across the nation. To understand providers’ experiences with the pandemic, an online survey was shared with child care providers between July 31, 2020 and September 9, 2020. A total of 1,898 center-based and family child care providers completed the survey. The survey asked child care providers* about their experiences related to a number of COVID-19 challenges. This fact sheet presents initial findings on provider’s confidence in practices related to COVID-19. (author abstract)

We garnered insights from four ECE providers serving LMI communities about the impact COVID-19 is having on their sector. These findings revealed several major challenges for providers—deficiencies in public support and investments, decreases in capacity and demand for services, increases in operational costs and need for cleaning supplies, and added anxiety and trauma among children and their communities. (author abstract)

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of rural Nebraskan parents with young children during the COVID-19 pandemic and school shutdown, and the strategies they used to support their families during that time. Specifically, our research questions were: 1. How did rural families with young children respond to the COVID-19 pandemic school shutdown (March 2020-May 2020) and into the summer and fall of 2020? 2. What parenting strategies did these families use during the COVID-19 pandemic school shutdown? (author abstract)

The Nebraska COVID-19 Early Care and Education Provider Survey II, released in early August 2020, is a second survey following The Nebraska COVID-19 Early Care and Education Provider Survey that was conducted in March 2020. Both surveys were conducted by the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska. Results from the March 2020 survey suggested that the coronavirus was negatively impacting early care and education professionals in Nebraska. Imminent threats of illness and directives for enhanced cleaning and precautionary methods (e.g., social distancing) were causing child care providers to experience high levels of stress. They were struggling to access accurate information and cleaning supplies and were fearful of the economic repercussions of decreasing enrollment and/or closure. Nebraska's agencies, philanthropies, and local communities mobilized to provide resources, and federal funding was made available to small businesses via the CARES act. This second survey examined how licensed family home-based and center-based child care providers in Nebraska have accessed financial supports, how they are coping in the midst of an ongoing pandemic, and what they still need to provide the essential service of early care and education. The current survey, administered in mid-June 2020 to licensed child care providers across Nebraska, reveals a resilient and dedicated workforce struggling economically and coping with very high levels of stress. (author abstract)

The Covid-19 pandemic upended the nation’s child care system and New Jersey is no exception. Over the last year, the Infant and Toddler Policy Research Center at the National Institute for Early Education Research (ITC@NIEER) conducted three surveys of parents of infants and toddlers (children under age 3) about their use of (non-parental) child care. The surveys were conducted in August 2020, February 2021, and June 2021 and were designed to represent New Jersey’s population of parents of infants and toddlers. The August 2020 survey also asked about use of child care prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. This data snapshot summarizes findings from simple analyses and from more complex models used to estimate changes in the use of infant and toddler child care over time beginning prior to March 2020. (author abstract)

As New Jersey tentatively reopens K-12 schools after being closed for over five months, many of the state's child care providers have remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to serve the children of essential workers. Throughout this time, providers have been required to observe more restrictive group sizes and child/staff ratios, while also increasing time and resources spent on cleaning and sanitizing, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. With unchanged tuition rates, these new standards quickly push many child care providers from an already tight financial situation into one that cannot be sustained. This paper examines in-depth the impact of new and existing regulations on child care providers' revenues and expenditures, and the subsidy rates required to financially sustain child care providers in New Jersey. (author abstract)

This study was funded by The Nicholson Foundation and conducted by the FDU Poll. The online survey was designed to provide estimates of adults in New Jersey with children age 35 months and younger. The survey was conducted August 17-24, 2020 with 914 adults residing in New Jersey. (author abstract)

To understand the project’s impact and return on investment, Luminary Evaluation Group was engaged to conduct a survey of home-based childcare providers as well as the coaches, advocates, and administrators who may have accessed the resources or received technical assistance. A total of 293 providers and 14 coaches, advocates, and administrators (also referred to as “intermediaries” throughout the report) completed the respective surveys. Three observations were made on the Home Grown project based on the survey data collected, as well as findings from the August 2020 Final Project Summary report issued by Civitas Strategies that captures the outcomes of PPP technical assistance in Mercer, Passaic, and Essex counties. (author abstract)

This is a study of the well-being and stressors of New York City’s early childhood education employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys were conducted in 2020-2021 to see how early childhood education workers coped during the pandemic and what lessons can be learned to inform post-pandemic decisions in the city’s early education system. 

This paper presents findings from a mixed method, exploratory study that sought to understand how New York State’s early childhood (ECE) workforce was faring early in the COVID-19 pandemic (n=3,555). This was a project of the New York City Early Childhood Research Network, a research practitioner partnership organized to create evidence-informed early childhood public policy. Among the key findings were high levels of reported stress, for instance those working remotely were approximately one-and-a-half times more likely to rate their emotional well-being negatively than those whose settings were closed (95% CI 1.157, 1.896) and a strong desire for mental health support. Towards gaining further understanding of respondents’ experiences, we used statistical analyses to inform the analysis of the survey’s textual data resulting in six themes: (1) Consequences of Social Distancing; (2) Commitment; (3) Time-Space Compression; (4) Working the Second Shift; (5) Mis/communication; and (6) Policies’ Effects on Well-Being. It is important to note that each of these themes included substantive evidence of resilience (e.g., creative transition to remote ECE, support for each other, support to families, etc.), but the focus in this paper is on the pandemic’s adverse effects because of 1) a general tendency to expect educators to show resilience as a part of their jobs; and 2) because of the relative inattention being paid to educators’ well-being, both for themselves and the children they care for and teach. (author abstract)

As we looked more closely at the survey data it became clear that FCC providers’ experiences were a little different from other early childhood educators’, experiences which we clustered into four themes: Forgotten Frontline Workers, Committed, Resilient, and Getting Organized. While the findings we report cannot be used to draw conclusions about all FCC providers in New York because they are not based upon a representative sample, these findings do have relevance to conversations about better recognizing and supporting the FCC providers who have truly been forgotten front line workers during this pandemic. (author abstract)

This research brief is a follow-up to the snapshot report: Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on New York's Early Childhood System which was based upon a survey sent to participants in the Aspire Registry New York's early childhood workforce data system, in early May 2020. The purpose of this survey was to understand how New York's ECE field was faring during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to inform planning for how to support the workforce, and therefore children and families, through the ongoing health crisis. Understanding the Impact provided a descriptive snapshot that raised reflective questions about the field's needs in the areas of: (1) emotional well-being, (2) programs' reopening and economic assistance, (3) individuals' economic support needs, and (4) issues around developmentally meaningful remote care and instruction. This survey, along with others conducted by the Day Care Council, Raising New York, and the National and New York State Associations for the Education of Young Children provide a comprehensive portrait of the challenges facing the early care and education system throughout New York State. In this brief we focus on the issues and opportunities related to educators' emotional well-being that were identified in the survey. (author abstract)

To understand the impact of COVID-19 on New York's early childhood workforce, the New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute and Bank Street College of Education partnered to administer a survey with members of the Aspire Registry. The survey strives to capture the perspectives of early childhood program leaders, teachers, and family child care providers about their experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic to inform policy and practice. In this report, we highlight descriptive data pertaining to our study participants, their current program status, remote instruction approaches, employment status, and personal well-being. We conclude with a discussion that contextualizes the findings and raises opportunity to inform ongoing discussion with stakeholders from across the field. (author abstract)

This report describes and examines the current operations of a sample of ECCs located in community-based organizations and FCC programs. Cleaning practices, drop-off and pick-up policies, masks, playtime, and food are all discussed in the context of preventing the spread of COVID-19. This report synthesizes 13 interviews into set of key findings and recommendations to be considered in the discussion of reopening New York City's early education system. (author abstract)

COVID-19 has created acute challenges for the child care sector, potentially leading to a shortage of supply and a shrinking sector as the economy recovers. This study provides the first comprehensive, census-level evaluation of the medium-term impacts of COVID-19 on the county child care market in a large and diverse state, North Carolina. We also document the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on different types of providers and disadvantaged communities. We use data from two time points (February and December) from 2018 to 2020 and a difference-in-differences design to isolate the effects of COVID-19. We find that COVID- 19 reduced county-level child care enrollment by 40%, and reduced the number of providers by 2%. Heterogeneity analyses reveal that family child care providers experienced not only less severe reductions in enrollment and closures than center providers, but a small growth in the number of family providers. Declines in enrollment were most substantial for preschool-aged children. COVID-19 did not appear to further exacerbate inequities in terms of enrollment amongst low-income communities, communities with a larger share of Black residents, or rural communities, although communities with a larger share of Hispanic residents had more provider closures. Our findings underscore the importance of family child care providers in the child care sector and providing continuing and targeted support to help the sector through this crisis. Implications for future policies are discussed. (author abstract)

In this Report we investigate the economic consequences of early childhood education in North Carolina. Early education and child care systems encompass a range of providers and programs for children from birth up to kindergarten entry. We show how this system influences the employment and incomes of working families. Critically, we analyze how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected early education and in turn work opportunities for parents across North Carolina. Our analysis draws on a new survey – conducted state-wide in the Fall of 2020 – on over 800 working families. (author abstract)

A statewide survey was undertaken to understand how early childhood educators sought to navigate this transition to remote learning focusing on the teachers who administer the North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten (NC Pre-K) program—North Carolina's flagship early childhood education program. Building on a previous survey of NC Pre-K site administrators and contract administrators conducted in May 2020, the current survey focused on the experiences of teachers who provided NC Pre-K program services. The survey was designed to collect information regarding (1) teachers' transitions to remote learning, (2) the remote learning services teachers provided during the statewide quarantine, and (3) teachers' efficacy in providing remote learning services. That information is summarized in this report. Survey results were also used to identify recommendations to further support teachers in providing remote learning services. (author abstract)

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) sought to learn what NC Pre-K program staff were doing to provide remote learning services during the COVID-19 emergency and where they needed more support. DCDEE administered separate surveys to representatives of NC Pre-K sites and to NC Pre-K contractors during the week of April 20, 2020, to collect relevant information that is summarized in this report. The surveys gathered information about local communication and remote learning strategies, technology capabilities and challenges. This report summarizes the information captured in the surveys and highlights the voices of staff sharing their perspectives through open-ended responses. Survey results will also be used to identify ways that DCDEE can provide timely and ongoing support. (author abstract)

Child care centers in the United States allow many parents and caregivers to work in and outside of the home and support the growth and development of children. Child care closures and COVID-19 mitigation measures at the onset of the pandemic heightened the need for and awareness of the role of child care as core infrastructure. The purpose of our study was to examine the perceived role and benefits of child care based on the lived experiences of parents/caregivers and staff navigating child care during the pandemic. We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with parents/caregivers (n=20) of children who attended child care and staff (n=12) who were working at child care programs in Ohio from September to November 2020. (author abstract)

On behalf of Groundwork Ohio, Public Opinion Strategies completed a statewide survey of 800 registered voters and an oversample of 400 parents with children under the age of five in Ohio. The survey was conducted October 26-November 8, 2021 and has a margin of error of +3.46% for the registered voter sample and +4.9% for the parents' oversample. (author abstract)

This report examines the state of child care in Central Ohio, based on a survey conducted September – October 2020 of providers from both child care centers and family child care homes. In particular, it focused on the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and solicited suggestions for necessary actions and interventions.

The study team analyzed statewide Serious Incident Reporting data submitted by child care programs to ODJFS to examine trends in COVID-19 cases among child care staff and children. Within the selected 10 counties, the study engaged child care program administrators, staff, parents and caregivers to better understand approaches to mitigate COVID-19 transmission and overall experiences with child care during a phase of the pandemic when COVID-19 transmission rates were relatively low. (author abstract)

This report presents the results of a Household Survey that was conducted in Fall 2020 to learn about how the landscape of child care services and supports changed in Oregon during the pandemic and related statewide closures that occurred in the spring, summer and fall of 2020. (author abstract)

Following the evolving pandemic and as Oregon reopens ELD gathered input through a survey for parents and caregivers. This short survey included a series of questions on the health and safety precautions in child care needed to help families feel comfortable during COVID-19. Of the 3598 total respondents, 3,060 of the respondents are parents and other family members who have a child in need of child care. The responses of those 3,060 are summarized below. (author abstract)

Between April 17 and April 27, the Institute for Child Success (ICS) surveyed early care and education providers, trying to understand more about the effect of the pandemic on the already-fragile early care and education market. The results of the survey show that, like for many other small businesses, the economic impact for child care centers has been sharply negative. The sector has already experienced approximately $40 million in lost revenue, and about half of all centers have closed. Those that remain open are serving a fraction of their prior students, so the overall supply has reduced to approximately one-third of pre-COVID capacities. Those centers that do remain open are struggling to manage basic operations, and many providers feel that governmental supports are challenging to access. Many are also struggling to understand how they might be able to reopen once the pandemic subsides. (author abstract)

Between April 17 and April 27 the Institute for Child Success (ICS) surveyed early care and education providers, trying to understand more about the effect of the pandemic on the already-fragile early care and education market. The results of the survey show that, like for many other small businesses, the economic impact for child care centers has been sharply negative. The sector has already experienced approximately $40 million in lost revenue, and about half of all centers have closed. Those that remain open are serving a fraction of their prior students, so the overall supply has reduced to approximately one-third of pre-COVID capacities. Those centers that do remain open are struggling to manage basic operations, and many providers feel that governmental supports are challenging to access. Many are also struggling to understand how they might be able to reopen once the pandemic subsides. (author abstract)

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted early childhood programs serving infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in dramatic ways. After temporarily closing, many educators quickly adapted their procedures to ensure children’s safety as they reopened to provide childcare for essential workers and then the community at large. This manuscript reports on statewide efforts to continue quality improvement initiatives for early childhood programs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We first describe the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for over 2000 educators—teachers, administrators, and specialists—who completed surveys in the Spring and Fall of 2020. These survey data come from a statewide system called the Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System (TECPDS), designed to track the professional development needs/progress of early childhood educators. Second, we describe an example of how a statewide professional development and quality improvement program shifted to remote delivery during the pandemic. As an increasing number of educators turn to virtual training resources, we explain lessons learned from these response efforts and how they can inform future virtual professional development efforts, even amidst crisis, to ensure that a focus on quality improvement continues while supporting teachers’ individual needs. (author abstract)

This brief uses survey data from over 2,000 teachers in Virginia child care centers and family day homes to describe teachers’ experiences with financial incentives during the pandemic. These teachers were eligible for Virginia’s Teacher Recognition Program (TRP), which provided up to $2,000 in financial incentives to teachers who remained employed at their sites over a 6-month period. We describe the impact of these incentives on teachers’ sense of feeling appreciated in their job, financial well-being, and retention. (author abstract)

Using data from over 4,000 early educators working in publicly funded school-based pre-kindergarten programs, child care centers, and family day homes in Virginia, this brief describes changes in the prevalence of depression symptoms relative to pre-pandemic levels. We use two waves of survey data: one from before the pandemic (Spring 2019) and one during the pandemic (Fall 2020) to demonstrate increases in depression rates over time, and document COVID-specific concerns which may have contributed to these changes. (author abstract)

Using data from a large statewide survey of families with young children (ages 3-5) in Virginia, this brief describes families’ preferences for virtual or in-person ECE options and examines whether these preferences aligned with the settings children actually experienced. Given the disparate impacts of the pandemic on families with lower incomes and Black and Hispanic families, we explore patterns by families’ income levels and race/ethnicity, highlighting large differences both in preferences, and in the likelihood of accessing preferred options. (author abstract)

In Virginia, early educators teaching virtually were much more concerned about their students’ learning, social skills, and behavior relative to those teaching in-person. Families can provide another important perspective, especially because many took on an even larger role in their young children’s learning during COVID than they might have in other years. This report uses survey responses from almost 3,000 Virginia families with children ages 3-5. It documents families’ perspectives on their children’s learning and development during the pandemic and explores how these perceptions varied across instructional modes. (author abstract)

This report takes a closer look at child care staffing issues during COVID using data from a large-scale survey fielded in fall 2020 as part of Virginia’s Preschool Development Grant Birth-5 (PDG B-5). Leaders at all child care sites participating in the PDG B-5 were invited to take a survey online or on paper. At least one leader from 262 child care sites responded, representing 85% of the child care sites surveyed. (author abstract)

This brief details the unique challenges that home-based providers faced throughout the pandemic, summarizing the impact of COVID on their enrollment and finances. It uses data from a survey of family day home teachers fielded in Fall 2020 as part of Virginia’s Preschool Development Grant Birth-5 (PDG B-5). All family day home providers participating in the PDG B-5 were invited to take a survey about their experiences during COVID. In total, 228 providers completed the survey, a response rate of 81%. (author abstract)

This brief describes the child care experiences of Virginia families with very young children during the pandemic, using data from a large-scale, statewide survey of families. It presents overall patterns as well as trends by family income and children’s race/ethnicity. (author abstract)

Despite the importance of early learning experiences for school readiness and children’s long-term learning trajectories, much of the research on learning during COVID-19 has focused on older, K-12 children. Understanding how the pandemic impacted the learning experiences of preschool-age children is critical for reducing the long-term ramifications of COVID-19 on young children. Using survey data from 1,828 teachers working with children 3-5 years of age in ECE classrooms in Virginia, this report addresses this gap by describing the impact that COVID-19 had on teaching and learning in ECE classrooms. It compares the experiences of teachers whose primary mode of instruction was in person teaching to those who either taught fully remotely (e.g., online class meetings, video lessons, or learning packets sent home) or through a hybrid of remote and in person teaching. (author abstract)

This winter, nearly 7,000 Virginia parents and guardians of children 0-5 completed a survey about their experiences during the pandemic. This brief describes families’ concerns related to their employment and financial stability, their ability to manage caregiving and work responsibilities, and their children’s learning and wellbeing. The brief also explores differences in families’ concerns by their income level and their child’s race as systemic barriers and discrimination may exacerbate challenges for families in poverty and families of color. Overall, findings indicate high levels of stress and worry in all three areas, especially among low-income families, Black families, and Hispanic families. These differences by income and race suggest that the pandemic may have heightened existing inequities in families’ financial stability and overall wellbeing. (author abstract)

This report describes the experiences of 74 women who run family day homes in Virginia, adding to the small body of evidence that examines the impact of the pandemic on this often overlooked sector of child care. Its key contribution is that it draws upon data collected from surveys administered before and during the pandemic as part of Virginia’s Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) initiative. The first survey was conducted in May 2019 at the start of the PDG B-5 initiative. The second was administered to this same group of educators in May 2020. Although our sample is small, data from these two surveys provide a unique look at the experiences of family day home teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, capturing changes in their well-being relative to before the pandemic. (author abstract)

This report describes the experiences of over 1600 Virginia early educators in May 2020, about two months after the pandemic began. It provides the most comprehensive look to date at the experiences of early childhood education (ECE) teachers during the pandemic, describing changes to teachers' jobs and their well-being. It also highlights the very stark differences in these experiences for those ECE teachers working in schools relative to those in child care centers. (author abstract)

Survey was conducted in July 2020, by ChildSavers and Smart Beginnings in partnership with the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond and the Robins Foundation. 600 surveys were distributed electronically (n= 110). (author abstract)

School's Out Washington developed the COVID-19 Impact Survey to understand how school-age childcare and youth development programs in Washington State have maintained and changed since the start of the pandemic. This brief highlights providers ability to continue operating amid the impacts of COVID-19. We focus both on organization's perception of their ability to continue operating and factors that are contributing to those perspectives. (author abstract)

School's Out Washington developed the COVID-19 Impact Survey to understand how school-age childcare and youth development programs in Washington State have maintained and changed since the start of the pandemic. This brief highlights COVID-19's impact on staffing. Staffing encompasses organizations increasing, maintaining, furloughing, or laying off workers because of conditions caused by COVID-19. This brief also discusses our response to the ongoing pandemic. (author abstract)

School's Out Washington developed the COVID-19 Impact Survey to understand how school-age childcare and youth development programs in Washington State have maintained and changed since the start of the pandemic. This brief highlights programming shifts to virtual platforms and discusses both synchronous and asynchronous learning shifts. Synchronous learning occurs when youth and staff utilize programs like Zoom or Google Hangout to respond immediately. While asynchronous learning opportunities occur when organizations post learning modules to their website or other online platforms like Facebook. (author abstract)