Introduction
Seeking input from child care and early education (CCEE) providers about their experiences with CCEE licensing is an integral part of improving licensing regulations and processes. This report offers considerations for licensing staff and their partners to develop, administer, and learn from provider surveys. The report uses examples from Washington, DC and Oklahoma to show how data can be used to inform decisions.
Purpose
The purpose of this report is to offer CCEE licensing staff and their partners research-based considerations for developing, administering, analyzing, and learning from provider surveys.
Key Findings and Highlights
- Planning for the survey is an important first step. This phase includes, among other actions, identifying your goal, defining your target population, and considering confidentiality and data security.
- There are a variety of ways to design and conduct surveys. For example, they can range in length, focus areas, and frequency. Some may be brief, narrowly focused, and conducted after every licensing visit, while others may be broader in scope and conducted less frequently.
- Once a survey is complete, licensing agencies may consider changes to policies and practices that could improve providers’ experiences with CCEE licensing.
Citation
Johnson, N. & Miranda, B. (2024). Using surveys to learn about provider perspectives of child care and early education licensing. OPRE Report #2024-122. Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Glossary
- Child care and early education:
- : Caregiving and educational services for children from birth to age 13. CCEE includes center- and home-based settings for infants, toddlers, preschool- and school-aged children. CCEE refers to services for a larger age group than early care and education (ECE), which consists of services provided only for young children (birth to age 5 who are not yet in kindergarten). ECE programs are included within the definition of CCEE.
- Child care and early education licensing:
- Establishes regulations that must be met to legally operate a child care program. Child care licensing also monitors and enforces those regulations.
- Child care and early education licensing staff:
- Any staff who work in CCEE licensing (e.g., front-line staff, managers, administrative or clerical staff).
- Licensing regulations:
- “Requirements that providers must meet to legally operate child care services in a state or locality, including registration requirements established under state, local, or Tribal law” (Child Care & Early Education Research Connections, n.d. -a). (Child Care & Early Education Research Connections uses this definition for “licensing or regulatory requirements.”)