A Nationwide Multidimensional Examination of Early Care and Education Access

Links Between Access Profiles, Equitable Enrollment, and Public Funding Policies

Bibliographic Data

ID7152011
AuthorsGerilyn Slicker (0000-0002-0826-6394, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, corresponding author), Alex Faucheux (0000-0002-5279-5445, University of Nevada, Las Vegas), Alain Bengochea (0000-0002-4602-3676, University of Nevada, Las Vegas)
Year2025
Volume36
Issue4
Pages946-966
Publication date2025-05-19
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueEarly Education and Development (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1040-9289 • E-ISSN: 1556-6935
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10409289.2024.2434796
OpenAlexW4404938286
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited48

Research Findings: As a result of inequitable early care and education access, state and federal policies have prioritized improving access and better serving diverse and traditionally underserved families. This study uses a multidimensional conceptualization of access, which includes reasonable effort, affordability, child development, and family needs, to classify early education centers that serve 4-year-olds into latent profiles. Using nationally representative data from the 2019 NSECE (n = 6066), latent profile analysis revealed four distinct early education center access profiles characterized by meeting a few (but not all) dimensions of access: (1) Most Features of Access; (2) Limited Features of Access; (3) Most Affordable; (4) Available for 4-Year Olds. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were then used to identify equitable enrollment trends and policies associated with access profile membership. Results identify disparities in access related to children’s ability, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status but suggest that enrollment priority policies in place for publicly funded early education programs may promote more equitable access. Practice or Policy: Findings suggest the need for enhanced policy attention to early care and education access and expanded financial investment in high-quality, affordable early care and education that supports child development and meets family needs in an effort to promote more equitable access

Access to Higher Education · Access to information · Business · Economic growth · Economics · Higher education · Information access · Medical education · Political science · Public access · Public economics · Public education · Computer Science · Early Childhood Education and Development · Education Systems and Policy · Medicine · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare · Psychology · Public Administration