Why it matters.

Equal access to High-Quality Early Childhood Education is essential for the future of our children, families, businesses, schools, law enforcement, and our overall community development. We must invest in ourselves if we wish anyone else to invest in us.

●      There were 25,020 3 and 4-year-olds in Pima County in the latest census data. (U.S. Census, ACS, 1-Year Estimates, 2016).

●      Currently, only 5,387 of our children who are 3- and 4-year-olds attend a High-Quality Early Education Program. (There are currently 138 3-5 Star Centers rated by First Things First’s Quality First program (FTF), another 10 unrated nationally accredited pre-schools, and approximately 1500 Head Start spots in Pima County according to data provided by United Way, FTF and Head Start; these numbers exclude tribal data.

●      The average cost for a 3- and 4-year-old to attend a full-day (full parental workday) High- Quality Early Education Program is $836 per month according to a 2018 Research Briefing: Relationship of Economic Independence and Access to Childcare for Single Moms, Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona

●      The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) defrays a portion of the cost of (High-Quality and non-High-Quality) childcare/preschool for approximately 1778 3- and 4-year-olds in Pima County with an average payment of just $350 per month.

●      Arizona is one of the most expensive states in terms of the relative burden of childcare costs for families (we rank 39th out of the 50 states and D.C. based on the costs for married families. Childcare Aware: 2017 Parents and the High Cost of Childcare).