Affording Preschool
May 2025
Child care and preschool are essential services for most families, particularly households with children under the age of 6. However, the cost of preschool or child care can be a tremendous burden on families. MassBenchmarks undertook a special examination of the challenges in eligibility for families who need government supported services like Head Start to provide both child care and education for their children. National programs like Head Start primarily serve families at or below the federal poverty line, but variations in local wages can mean that families in need of services may be ineligible or can lose eligibility after an increase in wages, even if they are living in poverty-like conditions in high-cost states like Massachusetts.
The article examines issues of program eligibility and the financial need for early childhood education and care, using four states as case models: Alabama, California, Massachusetts, and North Dakota. These states were specifically chosen because they represent a variety of Head Start regions and are at different ends of the cost of living and household earnings spectrum. Across the nation, regardless of socioeconomic variation, the need for and demand for high quality preschool and child care services outstrips the available budget and seats. More resources are needed for this program, as it contributes so much back to families and the nation. In addition, given variations in cost-of-living, income, and earning power across states, there is reason to continue to refine eligibility formulas beyond simply poverty status. In the long run, Head Start is an important program that allows parents to work while setting children up for long range success in learning and ensure the long-term success of those children into adulthood. The resources available should therefore be increased and the barrier of entry should be lowered to help maximize the broader impact on society.
