Childcare Landscape Study - Flipbook - Page 98
Davidson County Child Care Landscape Study Results
10
Current Market Prices and Certificate Reimbursement Rates Do Not
Cover the Estimated True Cost of Care
Child care centers do not receive revenue commensurate with the true cost of care, either
through certificates, which account for approximately 15 percent of all occupied full-time
slots in the region, or through the remaining 85 percent of slots filled by families that do not
use subsidies. Families without subsidies generally pay market price for child care, though
many child care programs offer tuition on a sliding scale, with lower fees for families with
lower incomes, to make child care as accessible as possible.
The market price reflects what families are able to pay for full-time child care today. The
75th percentile of the market rate means that 75 percent of providers charge that amount or
less for care, and the remaining 25 percent of providers charge higher prices. The 75th
percentile is what the US government considers the
