Top Ten

Licensing data for Centers and Homes

In 2017, 85% (n=35) of quality initiatives require licensing, in order to be enrolled into the initiative for center-based early care and education (ECE) programs. In 20 of these 41 quality initiatives, licensing is equivalent to the first level of the initiative. For an additional three , licensing is not required for enrollment but is equivalent to the first level. A total of 23 initiatives (56%) make licensing equivalent to the first level. For 17 (41%), a process is in place for license-exempt center-based ECE programs to participate.

More quality initiatives require licensing as a prerequisite for participation for home-based than center-based programs. Of the fourty-one quality initiatives that include home-based ECE programs, 36 (89%) require licensing for enrollment into their initiative. A total of 18 states (44%) consider licensing to be equivalent to the first level in the initiative for home-based ECE programs. For eight (20%), a process is in place for license-exempt home-based ECE programs to participate.