Superintendent's Message
A Model Built on Parent Demand
Virginia has built a nation-leading model where public and private birth-to-five early childhood providers work together to deliver high standards of care and learning. Over the last few weeks, members of the General Assembly have called to share about attending national convenings where they got to proudly say "Virginia already does that!" and "Virginia already has that!" to the policy recommendations for early childhood that are helping to prepare all Virginia children for kindergarten.
With the historic $1.2 billion state and federal investment in FY25, Virginia was able to maximize the Governor's Building Blocks for Virginia Families initiative and for the first time Virginia ensured that every single dollar was used to fund slots for children in response to family choice. This means 23,526 children participated in Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) (a 5% increase from the previous year), 2,738 children benefited from Mixed Delivery (a 6% increase from the previous year), and enrollment in Child Care Subsidy Program reached a historic high of 43,500 infants, toddlers, and children (7% increase). Overall two-thirds of families chose private settings, benefiting working parents who needed full-day, full-year options.
From church-based preschools and private care centers to in-home providers and public Pre-K in schools, Virginia's birth-to-five early childhood system reflects what parents have consistently asked for: choice, flexibility, and quality. Families aren't looking for a one-size-fits-all solution from Richmond. They want a system that respects their values, supports their schedules, and gives their children the best possible start. Parents must have quality options, data, and information to choose quality and the ability to pay. What makes this marketplace effective is its responsiveness to parent demand and dollars following children.
The success of Virginia's robust public-private marketplace lies in its options and key infrastructure, including an accountability system, integrated data system, and regional networks. Public and private providers are both held to high standards, with families in the driver's seat. This competition drives innovation, expands access, and ensures providers are truly responsive to the needs of their communities. By partnering across sectors rather than pushing a top-down model, Virginia is making smart use of taxpayer dollars without crowding out private options.
As the Commonwealth continues to invest in early childhood care and education, we must protect what's working well - namely ensuring that working parents in Virginia can choose what works best for their child's care and learning.
There is more to do to ensure Virginia's working families have access to high-quality child care but let's also pause to appreciate that the Commonwealth of Virginia has built the gold standard of early childhood care and education here and it's working. Don't just take my word for it - when I talk with kindergarten teachers, they often share that they can see the benefits of these efforts as soon as they walk in the classroom on that first day of school.
Emily Anne
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