Enrolling children in early childhood education programs is a puzzle

Sarah Gilliland

Getting families enrolled in early childhood programs is an uphill battle: the patchwork of funding streams and programs (whether federal, state, local, non-profit, etc.) means that families are overloaded with choices, and often feel confused over which programs they may qualify for. Centralized enrollment portals offer a solution but can be difficult to build, and developing them requires both political buy-in as well as technological know-how. In the latest Early Childhood Education brief from the New Practice Lab, we break down how these portals work and what's required to get one built, leveraging insight from our Early Care and Education Implementation Working Group.

The Problem

Finding the right early childhood program in the right time and the right place-not to mention one that has actual openings- often feels like a puzzle where the pieces just don't fit together. Why is it so complicated? Nationwide just 15% of families that qualify for childcare subsidies under federal rules receive that support, as chronic underfunding and complex federal and state eligibility requirements create access barriers for families trying to apply. Unclear of whether they qualify or where to turn for help, families with young children are often left to fend for themselves. Many cities and counties are investing in public preK to help bridge early care and education gaps that families face. Unfortunately, researching programs takes time and energy that many parents just don't have. Once families do identify convenient providers offering attractive programs, they may still need to wait for openings to become available or join multiple wait lists, and enrollment processes and timelines can vary from provider to provider. The Lab's past research with parents of young children showed that too often, families faced with excessive wait and burden just have to give up.

Technological tools like centralized enrollment portals help manage the chaos that so many families are navigating on their own. Already familiar in some K-12 enrollment environments, these portals connect families with providers that match their needs and have openings to enroll new children.

Building these portals requires in-depth technological savvy, for sure, but as importantly it takes significant political buy-in. Our latest brief dives into both challenges.

Reducing Family Burden with Technological Tools

Centralized enrollment portals let families research, apply, match, and enroll with care programs in their area. Rather than putting the burden of vetting and applying to multiple programs on families, these centralized enrollment portals connect them directly with preschools - which in turn maximizes family choice, improves communication between families and providers, and can ultimately boost program enrollment.

With a single point of entry into the early childhood education system, families know where they stand and what is required of them. But it also helps providers; rather than having to spend a small fortune on marketing, the portals create a level playing field that reduces administrative burden and simplifies the management process.

So why isn't everyone using one?

While these systems are effective solutions for both families and program providers, there are major administrative and political challenges to getting them built, and valid concern that some families and providers may be left behind. In our new brief, we dive into the biggest hurdles communities face when developing portals, as well as tested strategies to overcome these challenges.

Informed by the New Practice Lab's partnership with the Early Care and Education Implementation Working Group, this brief leverages the experiences of leaders who are working through the puzzle of early childhood enrollment with the help of centralized portals. They are sharing tangible suggestions for other practitioners working in the space-whether it's what to look for in a vendor or how to map out the family journey- in the hopes that their lessons will contribute to the shared success of the field, and better outcomes for children and families everywhere..

Read the full brief here.

About the ECE Implementation Working Group

The ECE Implementation Working Group is a group of early childhood education leaders from cities and counties across the country. These leaders gather to share best practices from their experience working with families and local communities, and their work aligns with the New Practice Lab's theory of change: that implementation lessons should inform policy design from the start. More information about the Working Group can be found here. You can reach out to us with questions about the group and its work at [email protected].

This is the second brief of our ongoing work with early childhood educators. The first brief onfamily outreach can be found here.