Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/kids-on-campus-status-report-on-campus-child-care/5012220/
- Over 170,000 young children are now served in programs based on America's college campuses.- Two out of every three colleges and universities in the United States now provide some form of preschool program.
These numbers attest to the fact that child care on campus is big news. In the past ten years, the number of campus programs has skyrocketed. And the demand for these services continues to outpace the existing supply. This article will provide an overview of this booming segment of the early childhood world.
How are campus programs structured?
There is no typical campus child care program. The term covers a variety of program types ranging from part-time child development laboratories to Head Start programs to full-day child care centers; from centers operated directly by the college to centers operated by a student association to centers operated under contract by an outside vendor.
In terms of hours of operation, the trend is definitely shifting from part-day to full-day programming. Four out of five programs now offer full-day services, and two in five offer part-day services. Less than 10% of the programs are open in the evening. And, not surprisingly, one in four of these programs offers flexible programming, enabling parents to use the center ...