Most Quality-Rated Sites Score Quality Plus or Better
Research on school readiness and children’s brain development confirms the importance of high-quality early education and care programs for children’s future success in school and life. In addition, affordable child care is essential for working families to maintain economic self-sufficiency. Early care and education has been shown to be an efficient and effective investment for economic and workforce development, with an estimated return of $7 for every $1 invested.[1] This indicator measures child care availability by tracking the supply and demand of licensed child care spaces, the availability of subsidies for low-income families, and average annual child care costs. Also measured is participation in Quality Start San Bernardino (QSSB), which is San Bernardino County’s early care and education quality rating and improvement system. QSSB serves California State Preschool Programs (CSPP), family child care programs, private and public centers, alternative sites, and family, friend and neighbors. Only CSPP sites are rated by QSSB as of 2021/22.
TREND
Child Care Capacity
From 2019 to 2021, there was a 20% decline in the number of spaces at licensed family child care homes (home-based) and a 17% decline in the number of spaces at licensed child care centers (center-based) in San Bernardino County. This continues the long-term trend, with licensed home-based spaces down 54% and center-based spaces down 29% from 2012 to 2021.
DECLINE IN CHILD CARE SLOTS IN 2021
Number of Licensed Child Care Slots in San Bernardino County, 2019-2021
Quality Start San Bernardino
In 2021/22, QSSB transitioned to providing quality ratings of the California State Preschool Program (CSPP) sites exclusively. Thus, QSSB trend data is not available this year. In 2021/22, there were 329 programs and 10,248 children served by Quality Start San Bernardino (QSSB). Of the 329 programs, 134 were CSPP sites eligible for a rating. Among the sites eligible for a rating, 102 had valid ratings and 32 have not received a rating. A rating of ‘Highest Quality’ is the best possible rating, which 13 sites received. Most sites (89) received the next highest rating of a ‘Quality Plus’. Of the over 10,000 children served, 80% were preschool-age, 11% were toddlers, and 5% were infants.
What is QSSB?
Quality Start San Bernardino (QSSB) works to increase the quality of local early learning programs for San Bernardino County’s youngest children through the development of a Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). Participating sites are rated every three or five years and receive support and incentives to gain and maintain the highest ratings through the system. As of 2021/22, QSSB only rates California State Preschool Program (CSPP) sites.
76% OF CSPP SITES EARN RATING OF ‘QUALITY PLUS’ OR HIGHER IN 2021-22
CSPP Program Site Ratings in San Bernardino County, 2021-22
OVER 300 PROGRAMS SERVED BY QSSB
Number of Programs Served by Quality Start San Bernardino (QSSB), 2021-22
OVER 10,000 CHILDREN SERVED BY QSSB
Number of Children Served by Quality Start San Bernardino (QSSB), 2021-22
SUBSIDIZED CARE IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
In 2021, 30% of the child care centers in San Bernardino County had at least one public subsidy contract. This is the second highest among neighboring counties compared, surpassed only by Riverside County (40%), and higher than the state. A greater proportion of public subsidy contracts means families have more options for accessing subsidized child care.
NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF CHILD CARE CENTERS HAVE AT LEAST ONE PUBLIC SUBSIDY CONTRACT
Percent of Child Care Centers with One or More Federal/State/Local Contracts, 2021
Riverside 40% San Bernardino 30% California 28% San Diego 27% Los Angeles 24% Orange 10%
[1]National Institute for Early Childhood Education Research (http://nieer.org)