The grant team will conduct (1) an implementation evaluation, exploring how subsidy payment policies are administered at the state level and how they are experienced by providers and families; and (2) an impact evaluation, examining whether OEC’s subsidy payment policies have increased the number of providers serving families using subsidies and families’ equitable access to affordable, high-quality child care. The overarching research question for the project is: How do subsidy payment policies (e.g., provider payment rates and copayment structures) and practices impact access to high-quality child care, specifically about whether care is affordable, meets parents’ needs, requires reasonable effort, and supports children’s development for families with low incomes? There are also specific research questions for each evaluation. (author abstract)