Childcare Landscape Study - Flipbook - Page 27
Davidson County Child Care Landscape Study Results
14
Survey Descriptives of Program Characteristics and Provider Experiences
The Child Care Provider Experience Survey included numerous questions to gather
information about directors’ experiences in greater Davidson County. To better understand
directors’ experiences, challenges, and support opportunities, we examined directors’
responses descriptively. Some survey questions apply only to certain types of providers (e.g.,
home-based programs, programs that serve specific age groups, etc.); therefore, the sample
size varies by survey item. Analyses of home-based and center-based programs are conducted
separately and reported in their respective briefs. Descriptive statistics of director and
program characteristics represent observed values from the survey sample and may not be
representative of the full population.
Cost Estimation Model
We constructed the greater Davidson County High-Quality Child Care CEM to estimate the
cost of providing high-quality care to children in greater Davidson County’s center-based
and home-based child care programs. Each CEM is based on a model center or home, a
hypothetical child care program with characteristics common to child care programs in
greater Davidson County (as reported by Child Care Provider Survey respondents). This
methodology describes the characteristics of the model programs, how we determine cost
values for each cost category within the CEM, and how we compute the cost of care.
Cost Estimation Model Assumptions for Center-Based Child Care
Classroom Counts and Capacity
Using survey data to inform the center size and classroom distribution, the model center
contains seven classrooms described in Table 3, including: one infant classroom, two
toddler classrooms, and four preschool classrooms.
Group sizes for each classroom reflect Tennessee licensing requirements.b Because the
preschool classification covers multiple age ranges with distinct group size regulations, the
maximum group size for preschool assumes two classrooms with the maximum group size for
3-year-olds (18) and two classrooms with the maximum group size for 4- and 5-year-olds (20).
b TENN. COMP. R. & REGS. 1240-04-01-.22(1)(c). Specifically, group sizes reflect the values in Chart 1.
Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center 2025
www.pn3policy.org
