The State of Child Care in Buncombe County December 2018

Agenda Overview Quality Availability Affordability Children with Special Healthcare Needs Workforce

Demographics Number of children birth through 5 years old (and not enrolled in kindergarten) = 14,139 Number of licensed facilities serving children 0-5 = 96 Number 0-5 enrolled in licensed child care = 4,110 Buncombe child poverty = 19.4% Available child population: NC OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, 2018 The number of five-year-olds not age-eligible for kindergarten is based on the following formula created by the North Carolina Partnership for Children: 33% of all available 5-year-olds Child enrollment in licensed child care: Source: NC Division of Child Development and Early Education Monthly Statistical Reports, December 2018. The September 2018 report indicates 4087 children 0-5 in licensed care. The percent of children ages 0-17 living at or below the federal poverty level for 2016 in Buncombe County (Source: Data Source: U.S.Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE). Available online at: http://www.census.gov/did/www/saipe/data/index.html); also published April 2018 by NC Child, County level data for the 2018 Kids Count Data Book. Child poverty estimates are not available for year of age by county. NC Office of State Budget and Management, July 1, 2017 projection, County Age Groups by Race/Ethnicity ​ The number of children served in unlicensed programs is unknown at this time.

MANY Types of child care All care is regulated by NC Division of Child Development and Early Education (NC DCDEE): Licensed programs (more than 4 hours) Part-day, unlicensed regulated programs (4 hours or less) Types of licensed programs (ages 0-5): Child Care Centers Family Child Care Homes (FCCH) Publicly-funded programs that make care more affordable for parents: Head Start (3- to 5-year-olds) Early Head Start (0- to 2-year-olds) NC Pre Kindergarten (4-year-olds)

Child Care Quality How is quality defined in NC? North Carolina uses a Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS), which has a 1-5 star scale. This scale is made up of two components: 1) Staff Education, and 2) Program Standards Program standards are measured by NC Division of Child Development and Early Education using the Environment Rating Scale assessment every three years. 4- or 5-star-rated programs are considered high quality in NC. Religious-sponsored programs do not receive a rating, unless they choose to apply. The QRIS system is voluntary. Licensed facilities may choose to opt-out and receive a one-star rating. In North Carolina, the licensing system evaluates the quality of care that a program provides against research-based predictors of quality, such as teacher education, staff-child ratios and the child care environment. Programs are then rated on a scale of 2 to 5 stars, with more stars typically predicting higher-quality care. Some child care facilities choose to participate in a voluntary national accreditation assessment, such as those conducted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the National Association of Family Child Care (NAFCC). Becoming nationally accredited does not impact a center’s star rated license, but is an additional demonstration of quality.

How To find care? Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) website Mountain Child Care Connections Word of mouth/ recommendations from friends and family Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) – Search for child care https://ncchildcaresearch.dhhs.state.nc.us/search.asp?lang=English Mountain Child Care Connections is a regional child care call center, operated by Southwestern Child Development. Parents can call to receive information about child care in their area and quality standards. In Buncombe County, the number is 877.752.5955. Information is provided about: Child Care Providers in your area Types of care available Tips to look for when choosing a Child Care Center for your child Cost of Child Care and information about assistance with the cost of Child Care Quality Indicators Star Licenses Parents often rely on informal networks (i.e. other parents) for recommendations about quality, cost and availability.

Availability over time - licensed facilities Ages 0-12 Center Home   Total Report Date Employees Children Served # of facilities Total Employees Total Children Total Facilities Sep-05 860 6261 125 63 292 47 923 6553 172 Sep-06 788 5041 121 57 281 48 845 5322 169 Sep-07 938 5583 120 51 248 43 989 5831 163 Sep-08 1144 5753 117 44 247 1188 6000 161 Sep-09 1057 5761 116 235 38 1104 5996 154 Sep-10 1028 5666 114 221 34 1066 5887 148 Sep-11 994 5444 113 213 33 1037 5657 146 Sep-12 1043 5720 49 210 1092 5930 147 Sep-13 1010 5432 109 40 186 30 1050 5618 139 Sep-14 1087 5521 108 192 31 1131 5713 Sep-15 1003 5380 106 41 166 27 1044 5546 133 Sep-16 1101 5408 107 37 1138 5569 134 Sep-17 984 5376 105 130 21 1011 5506 126 Sep-18 995 5282 101 18 97 16 1013 5379 This chart shows the number of children served over time, along with the number of employees working in licensed child care facilities and the number of facilities with licenses. Overall, the number of facilities and children served (ages 0-12) have decreased, while the number of total employees have fluctuated. Source: NC Division of Child Development and Early Education Monthly Statistical Reports, September 2018 (Note: Includes all children ages 0-12 enrolled in licensed care). Figures include “personnel” serving children 0-12 at all licensed facilities in Buncombe County.

ENROLLMENT over time – licensed facilities This graph illustrates the number of children ages 0-12 enrolled in licensed Buncombe County facilities over time. September is the month selected for each year of data. Source: NC Division of Child Development and Early Education Monthly Statistical Reports, September 2018 (Note: Includes all children ages 0-12 enrolled in licensed care)

ENROLLMENT over time – licensed facilities This graph illustrates the number of children ages 0-5 enrolled in licensed Buncombe County facilities over time. September is the month selected for each year of data. Source: NC Division of Child Development and Early Education Monthly Statistical Reports, September 2018 (Note: Includes all children ages 0-5 enrolled in licensed care)

This graph only illustrates the number of children ages birth through 5 enrolled in licensed care in Buncombe County over time. September is the month selected for each year of data. The red line shows the total number of children served (0-5). The yellow line shows the number of children enrolled in centers and the blue line represents family child care homes. The total of the yellow and blue lines equal the red line. Source: NC Division of Child Development and Early Education Monthly Statistical Reports, September 2018 (Note: Includes all children ages 0-5 enrolled in licensed care)

This graph shows the number of children served in licensed care by single year of age in Buncombe County. Source: NC Division of Child Development and Early Education Monthly Statistical Reports, September 2018 (Note: Includes all children ages 0-5 enrolled in licensed care)

PERCENT OF AVAILABLE CHILDREN SERVED

Location within the county The above graphic created was created by Buncombe County in Feb. 2018 with data from Buncombe Partnership for Children. The graphic can be updated with the following spreadsheet of facility addresses and star-rating levels available here: https://smartstartbuncombe.sharepoint.com/evaluation/Shared%20Documents/Data/Star%20Rating%20Comparisons.xlsx?web=1 The spreadsheet includes the most recent facility data available from the NC Division of Child Development and Early Education, from September 2018.

Quality of Care – Trends Source: North Carolina Partnership for Children, Early Childhood Impact Report, Draft 2017-18 data Methodology: PLA40a -- Early care and education (ECE) quality is measured by the average star ratings of child placements in facilities rated 1 - 5 stars (PLA40a) and the percentages of children in 4 and 5-star-rated facilities (PLA40b). Average star rating of child placements is calculated for children in 1 - 5 star facilities only. Percentage in 4 and 5 star care is calculated based on all children in regulated care, including those in facilities with temporary and GS-110 licenses.

Quality of Care – Trends Of the children who are enrolled in licensed care, the chart above shows the percent that are being served in high-quality care (4 or 5 star facilities). Source: North Carolina Partnership for Children, Early Childhood Impact Report, Draft 2017-18 data Methodology: PLA40b -- Early care and education (ECE) quality is measured by the average star ratings of child placements in facilities rated 1 - 5 stars (PLA40a) and the percentages of children in 4 and 5-star-rated facilities (PLA40b). Average star rating of child placements is calculated for children in 1 - 5 star facilities only. Percentage in 4 and 5 star care is calculated based on all children in regulated care, including those in facilities with temporary and GS-110 licenses.

Affordability In NC, the average annual cost of center based care for an infant is $9,254; $8,386 for a toddler; and $7,920 for a four-year-old. There are several options to help families pay for care if they meet income eligibility and other guidelines, including Early Head Start, Head Start, NC Pre-Kindergarten, and child care subsidies. Detailed information is available on the next two slides. Parents receiving child care subsidies must pay parent fees of 10% of family gross income and the difference between the voucher reimbursement rate and the advertised cost of the slot, or the differential rate. The cost of wrap-around care (extended hours before or after the official program hours) is an additional cost to families and may not be available depending on the program site, sometimes making care difficult for working parents. Source: Child Care Aware 2017 Report (http://usa.childcareaware.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2017_CCA_High_Cost_Appendices_FINAL_180112_small.pdf). Accurate local statistics are not currently available.

Early Head Start and Head start

NC Pre-K & Child Care subsidies

Average star rating - subsidized placements Source: North Carolina Partnership for Children, Early Childhood Impact Report, Draft 2017-18 data Methodology: PLA50a -- Early care and education (ECE) quality for children receiving subsidy is measured by the average star ratings of child placements in facilities rated 1 - 5 stars (PLA50a) and the percentages of children in 4 and 5-star-rated facilities (PLA50b). Average star rating of child placements is calculated for children receiving subsidy in 1 - 5 star facilities only. Percentage in 4 and 5 star care is calculated based on all children receiving subsidy in regulated care, including those in facilities with temporary and GS-110 licenses.

Subsidized Placements - % in High quality Source: North Carolina Partnership for Children, Early Childhood Impact Report, Draft 2017-18 data Methodology: PLA50a -- Early care and education (ECE) quality for children receiving subsidy is measured by the average star ratings of child placements in facilities rated 1 - 5 stars (PLA50a) and the percentages of children in 4 and 5-star-rated facilities (PLA50b). Average star rating of child placements is calculated for children receiving subsidy in 1 - 5 star facilities only. Percentage in 4 and 5 star care is calculated based on all children receiving subsidy in regulated care, including those in facilities with temporary and GS-110 licenses.

Buncombe subsidy market rates Facility Age Served One Star Two Star Three Star Four Star Five Star Child Care Center Infant-Toddler Rate $ 379 $ 398 $ 715 $ 793 $ 922 2 Year Old Rate $ 356 $ 374 $ 706 $ 762 $ 854 3-5 Year Old Rate $ 335 $ 351 $ 730 $ 747 $ 775 Family Child Care Home Infant Rate $ 788 $ 877 $1,022 1 Year Old Rate $ 784 $ 874 $1,023 $ 776 $ 804 $ 833 $ 733 $ 817 $ 957 County market rates (monthly subsidized reimbursement) for Family Child Care Homes and Child Care Centers for 1-5 star licensed programs. Source: NC Division of Child Development and Early Education, October 2018 Subsidy Market Rates. More information about the October 2018 market rate changes can be found here: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Portals/0/documents/pdf/2/2018_Market_Rate_Flyer.pdf?ver=2018-08-28-105300-583

Subsidy – disaggregated by race Data provided by Buncombe County DHHS, August 2018. Total children served = 1643.

The Buncombe Workforce – By the numbers Number of teachers = 730 Number of administrators = 115 Number of support staff = 142 Center directors in Region 8 earn $19.00 per hour Teachers in Region 8 earn $13.12 per hour Assistant teachers in Region 8 earn $10.25 per hour WAGE$ salary supplement program participants = 122 teacher/administrators in 49 facilities Turnover rate of WAGE$ recipients = 18% TEACH Early Childhood scholarship program = 74 participants in 30 facilities Facilities receiving unrestricted Smart Start grants from Buncombe Partnership for Children to maintain high quality = 63 Number of teachers, administrators, support staff source: DCDEE Enrollment Report for Centers and Family Child Care Homes, September 2018 Median Income Source: Child Care Services Association 2015 Workforce Report, Region 8 Fact Sheet (https://www.childcareservices.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/regional-factsheets_Part8.pdf) Region 8 includes the counties of Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Polk, Rutherford, Swain and Transylvania. This is the most current data available. Buncombe Partnership for Children received grant funding to contract with Child Care Services Association to conduct an Early Childhood Workforce Study for Buncombe County. Surveys are being completed by teachers and directors this fall. WAGE$ data provided by Child Care Services Association, FY 2017-18 Buncombe County Report, available here: https://smartstartbuncombe.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/WAGE$/EcnYmrFrVGBOnkthNRbzDLcBHQ3kJ9VBP3ZvBsv0lAmhPw TEACH scholarship information can be found in the Child Care Services Association FY 2017-18 report: https://www.childcareservices.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/TEACHAnnualReport17_18-DCDEE.pdf Smart Start unrestricted grants provided to qualifying facilities through the Sustaining Facility Quality program.

Education - Teachers Percent of children enrolled in 1-5 star centers that have at least 75% of lead teachers with associate’s degrees (i.e. 7 lead teacher education points) Source: North Carolina Partnership for Children, Early Childhood Impact Report, Draft 2017-18 data

Education - administrators Percent of children enrolled in 1-5 star centers that have directors with BA degrees in Early Education or BA in unrelated field and 18+ semester hours in early childhood (i.e. 7 administrator education points) Source: North Carolina Partnership for Children, Early Childhood Impact Report, Draft 2017-18 data

Children with special healthcare needs A variety of support programs are available for families based on child eligibility and age, including: Children’s Developmental Services Agency Exceptional Children’s Program Child Care Health Consultants SUNSHINE Program Family Support Network Note: This is not a comprehensive list of services.

Questions? Buncombe Partnership for Children 2229 Riverside Drive Asheville, NC 28804 www.buncombepfc.org