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State of Delaware
Early Childhood
Needs Assessment
February 2013
written by
Kelly Sherretz, Tony Ruggiero, John Laznik,
and Christopher Kelly
with assistance from the
University of Delaware’s Center for
Applied Demography and Survey Research
funded by the
Delaware Department of Education
published by the
Institute for Public Administration
School of Public Policy & Administration
College of Arts & Sciences
University of Delaware
www.ipa.udel.edu
serving the public good, shaping tomorrow’s leaders
State of Delaware
Early Childhood Needs Assessment
February 2013
written by
Kelly Sherretz
Institute for Public Administration
University of Delaware
Tony Ruggiero
Delaware Department of Education
John Laznik
Center for Applied Demography and Survey Research
University of Delaware
Christopher Kelly
Institute for Public Administration
University of Delaware
with assistance from the
University of Delaware’s Center for Applied Demography and Survey Research
published by the
Institute for Public Administration
School of Public Policy & Administration
College of Arts & Sciences
University of Delaware
www.ipa.udel.edu
serving the public good, shaping tomorrow’s leaders
funded by the
Delaware Department of Education
Preface
As the Director of the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration (IPA), I am
pleased to provide this report, State of Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment. Funded by
the Delaware Department of Education through support from the Early Childhood Council, this
report provides information on the availability of quality early childhood programs for children
birth through age eight in Delaware. Specific attention is focused on at-risk populations. This
report also provides insights to stakeholders in Delaware about where to focus continued efforts
to further improve access to care.
I would like to thank the project team—project manager Kelly Sherretz, Jim Flynn, Lisa
Moreland, Christopher Kelly, Nathan Roby, and Rachel Matos from IPA; John Laznik from
UD’s Center for Applied Demography and Survey Research; and Tony Ruggiero from the
Delaware Department of Education. In addition, thanks to Mark Deshon for his cover design,
editing, and formatting expertise.
The Institute for Public Administration addresses the policy, planning, and management needs of
its partners through the integration of applied research, professional development, and the
education of tomorrow’s leaders. This study is an important part of this effort, as early
experiences wire a child’s brain and set the stage for future learning.
Jerome R. Lewis, Ph.D.
Director, Institute for Public Administration
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
i
Acknowledgements
This report would not have been possible without the data provided by the University of
Delaware’s Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood and the Delaware Department of Services
for Children, Youth and Their Families’ Office of Child Care Licensing.
The Delaware Department of Education funded this report.
We also want to thank Nathan Roby and Rachel Matos, Public Administration Fellows at the
Institute for Public Administration, for their hard work researching and gathering information for
this report.
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
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Table of Contents
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................1
Why Are We Conducting a Needs Assessment? .............................................................................3
Literature Review.............................................................................................................................4
Delaware Profile ..............................................................................................................................7
Indicator: Educational Attainment .................................................................................................17
Indicator: Poverty...........................................................................................................................22
Indicator: Single Mothers ..............................................................................................................27
Indicator: Vehicle Availability ......................................................................................................31
Indicator: Unemployment ..............................................................................................................35
Summary and Recommendations ..................................................................................................39
References ......................................................................................................................................42
Appendices.....................................................................................................................................44
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
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Introduction
Research shows that the most important period of time in a child’s development is from birth
through five years old. Early experiences shape the formation of a child’s brain, with positive
influences leading to desirable outcomes and negative influences leading to undesirable
outcomes. Children who have the opportunity to receive a high-quality early childhood education
are exposed to a greater number of positive influences in their formative years, and this provides
them with a solid foundation for future success. Unfortunately, there are children in Delaware
who do not have access to a quality early childhood education. This lack of access leads to a
situation in which children are not adequately prepared for school and are not able to meet their
potential. To rectify this situation, policymakers have begun to promote policies that will
increase access to quality early childhood education and, in turn, improve the lives of the
children who can reap the rewards of fulfilling their potential.
Nationally, early childhood education has gained support over the past few years. This support
has manifested itself with the federal Head Start and Early Learning Challenge Grants, which are
helping to build the institutional foundation for children to succeed in school and life. Investing
in early childhood education is an efficient use of public money, because it is estimated that a 7–
10 percent per annum return on the investment for every dollar spent can be expected due to
increased tax revenues and decreased societal costs (Heckman, 2011).
Early childhood education has received much attention in Delaware as well. This refocusing of
priorities has been realized through the revitalization of the Early Childhood Council, Governor
Markell’s advocacy for early childhood education that led to a $22 million increase in state
funding for early childhood education, and the influx of funds provided to the state by the federal
government’s Early Learning Grant. With these vast changes occurring, questions must be
answered concerning the distribution of children in Delaware, the location of the early childhood
centers, who has access to these centers, who has access to quality programs, and whether or not
there are service gaps.
Delaware’s Early Childhood Council
The Delaware Early Childhood Council (ECC) is the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood
Education for children from birth to eight years of age. Originally authorized by an Executive
Order in 2001, the Early Childhood Council is authorized under 14 Del. C. § 3002-3005. The
ECC is charged with carrying out all of the functions designated in the federal Improving Head
Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 and other functions as assigned by the Governor, General
Assembly, and the Interagency Resource Management Committee. The ECC comprises privatesector members primarily, but also includes public-sector members from the Departments of
Health and Social Services; Services for Children, Youth and Their Families; and
Education. There are 19 members of the ECC who are appointed by the Governor. Current
membership can be found on the Council’s website (decc.delaware.gov).
The mission of the ECC is to promote the development of a comprehensive and coordinated
early childhood system, birth to eight, which provides the highest quality services and
environment for Delaware’s children and their families (Delaware Early Childhood Council).
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
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The ECC has been actively doing this through advocacy, consistent meetings, as well as public,
private, and nonprofit partnerships. It has recently created a website to serve as a hub to help
parents, providers, and others find information about early childhood education in Delaware
(Delaware Early Childhood Council).
The ECC’s Vision (Delaware Early Childhood Council) is as follows:
 Ready children are children who are physically and emotionally healthy, have access to
high-quality early learning experiences, and enter school prepared to succeed.
 Ready families are families with the knowledge and resources needed to successfully
support their children’s development and learning.
 Ready early care and education programs are programs that effectively support the
growth, development, and learning of all children, and are staffed by teachers who are
well prepared, well compensated, and well supported.
 Ready communities are communities that embrace their responsibilities for enhancing the
quality of life of young children and their families through collaborations across all
sectors.
 Ready schools are schools that build upon and further enrich the learning foundations of
young children and accelerate their continued success.
ECC’s Strategic Goals
 Strengthen governance and alignment of early childhood policies, programs, practices,
standards, and financing that enhance outcomes and uniform oversight across state
agencies and expand collaborations with private and nonprofit partners and federal
agencies.
 Integrate service delivery across agencies and sectors to address the developmental needs
of all young children and their families, especially those considered to be at-risk due to
developmental delays, poverty, neglect or abuse, and other risk factors.
 Enhance the state’s data and information system to fully incorporate early childhood
education, and use that system as well as periodic analysis of programs, policies, and
outcomes to monitor and improve state services, inform and assist private service
providers and schools, and enable policymakers to identify what is working and what is
needed.
 Establish and coordinate a statewide, cross-sector early childhood professionaldevelopment system that includes partnerships with K-12 education, higher education,
business, and community institutions, and that enables all early childhood providers to
participate in affordable, high-quality professional development.
 Enable early childhood providers to achieve and sustain increasing levels of quality as
defined by appropriate early childhood standards, including the state’s early learning
guidelines, childcare-licensing regulations, Delaware Stars for Early Success, and
national accreditation standards.
 Improve the alignment and efficient use of early childhood funding across agencies and
increase public financing to meet the true cost of quality early childhood services for all
families across all geographic locations, socioeconomic groups, and children’s ability
levels. This includes adequate compensation and tiered reimbursement to all qualified
providers, the full financing of Delaware Stars, increasing subsidies to low-income
families, and integrating the funding of Delaware’s early childhood programs with
elementary education.
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
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Why Are We Conducting a Needs Assessment?
The Delaware Early Childhood Council was awarded a Head Start grant to help improve the
state’s early childhood education system. One of the tasks funded by this grant is a needs
assessment on the availability of early childhood programs in Delaware. To complete this needs
assessment, the Delaware Department of Education (DOE) contracted to work with the
University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration (IPA) and the University of
Delaware’s Center for Applied Demography and Survey Research (CADSR).
Goals and Objectives
The goal of the needs assessment is to gather information on the availability and quality of early
childhood programs for children birth through age eight in Delaware. Specific attention is
focused on low-income, at-risk, and underserved populations. The needs assessment project
team focused on these groups, because it allowed for the alignment of information provided by
the needs assessment with the primary goal of the Early Childhood Council, which is to
strengthen the quality of early care and education in Delaware with a particular focus on
increasing access to at-risk populations. Using the summary of the literature reviews and
availability of data, it was decided that U.S. Census data, licensing data, Stars information, and
other state statistics would be used to create a portrait of the early childhood–education
landscape in Delaware.
There are four major objectives that this needs assessment aims to achieve:
1) Define the quality and availability of care in Delaware.
2) Determine the data needed to measure the quality and availability of care in Delaware.
3) Define “at-risk” children.
4) Determine where the “at-risk” children are and if they have access to quality care.
Methodology
The Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) of the Delaware Department of Services for
Children, Youth and Their Families’ (DSCYF) provided an electronic file of all licensed daycare
centers, licensed family child care, and licensed large family child care providers in Delaware.
All of the providers’ addresses were included in the file, which enabled location mapping. The
University of Delaware’s Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood provided the ratings for
providers participating in Stars, and this information was merged with the OCCL-licensedprovider file.
The U.S. Census data utilized for this analysis came from two sources—the 2010 Decennial
Census and the American Community Survey. The records from the provider list and U.S.
Census Bureau data were mapped using a geographic information system (GIS). GIS was
selected due to its ability to assist with visualizing, analyzing, and understanding spatial
relationships and patterns. All licensed-provider and Stars data are a snapshot of October 1,
2012, due to the constant change in the number of overall providers and the number of providers
participating in Stars.
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
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Literature Review
Defining Quality
According to the literature examined, high-quality early childhood education focuses on
promoting the growth of every aspect of the child, including their mental, emotional, physical,
and social attributes. Centers must focus on producing children who have the cognitive abilities
and personality traits that will allow them to succeed later in life. James Heckman, an economist
at the University of Chicago, once wrote “[A]n economically advantaged child exposed to lowquality parenting is more disadvantaged than an economically disadvantaged child exposed to
high-quality parenting” (Heckman, 2011). While parenting styles vary from family to family in
Delaware and the nation, the effective utilization of a high-quality early childhood education
system can work to reverse the effects of low-quality parenting. High-quality centers allow
children to fulfill their potential because they promote the growth of the whole child and provide
them with the skills and traits that lead to future success. Maintaining and improving the quality
of early childhood education centers can be a challenging task, particularly in times of economic
turmoil, but it is still a worthy and achievable course of action. Achieving this goal will have
immense long-term benefits for society as a whole, and it can be achieved through the effective
use of standards that are supported by research. Ultimately, adequately preparing children for
success later in life will lead to a better future for all, and this can be achieved in part with the
provision of high-quality early childhood education.
In the state of Delaware, quality is measured through the Delaware Stars for Early Success
(Stars) program, a voluntary quality-rating-and-improvement system (QRIS) that focuses on
early childhood education providers. Established in 2007 from the Early Success plan, the Stars
program divides quality into four domains, which include family and community partnerships,
qualifications and professional development, management and administration, and learning
environment and curriculum (Delaware Stars, 2012). There are five levels of quality within the
Stars program, with entry-level locations receiving a “one” and the highest-quality locations
receiving a “five.” The mission is to:
Increase access to quality early care and education for all of Delaware’s children,
with initial focus on children and families of low-income, design and implement a
system that defines quality and supports the development of quality early care and
education programs, engage the legislature and policymakers in supporting the
implementation of Delaware Stars, and provide consumer education about the
importance of early care and education and Delaware’s system for providing
quality programs (Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childood).
In 2012 Stars went through a restructuring phase. This restructuring occurred simultaneously
with Governor Markell’s commitment to improve and strengthen the quality of the learning
environment for the state’s young children. Purchase of care (POC) reimbursement was
increased to 65 percent of the market rate through level two. Levels three through five are
reimbursed at a higher rate (3–80%, 4–90%, 5–100% of the market rate) to increase the incentive
for centers to move up in quality rating. Additionally, each Stars-rated location is now assigned a
Technical Assistant (TA) upon confirmation of their acceptance. The TA has responsibility for
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
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assisting sites in identifying areas of strength and areas for improvement and then helping them
garner the resources and supports to strengthen their quality of early care and learning. As of
October 1, 2012, 338 locations are participating at all levels of the Stars program.
Defining Access
Issues pertaining to a family’s ability to access quality early childhood education centers can be
divided into four primary categories—geographic barriers, costs associated with the service,
availability of information, and the overall quality of the facilities (Hartzog, Vecchiotti, and
Tarrant, 2008). Due to the nature of these issues, a variety of measurement techniques, including
both quantitative and qualitative methods, must be utilized to gain the information necessary to
conduct a proper analysis.
One of the primary hindrances to families when it comes to accessing early childhood education
centers is their geographic locations in relation to prospective learning facilities. Geographic
barriers can be effectively measured through the use of a service-to-need ratio that was utilized
by the New York City Children’s Services in their needs assessment for the city. It describes the
service-to-need ratio as “a percentage generated by dividing the capacity (number of spaces) by
the eligible population multiplied by 100” (Hartzog, Vecchiotti, and Tarrant, 2008). The
geographic regions examined included “four geographic levels: the city, the borough, the
aggregated ZIP Code (i.e., neighborhood), and the individual ZIP Code” (Hartzog, Vecchiotti,
and Tarrant, 2008). The use of the service-to-need ratio allows researchers to gain a greater
appreciation for the service capacity of the geographic area and allows them to assess which
locations have the greatest need for an increase in service capacity.
An inability to afford the cost of services is an obstacle to many families looking to utilize early
childhood education centers. Without the availability of subsidized care, many families would be
unable to afford early childhood care services. Another important issue that must be
acknowledged is that many families have income levels that not only make it impossible for
them to receive subsidized care, but also to afford to pay for the services out of pocket. The Early
Childhood Alliance noticed this in the community of Framingham, Mass., and found it to be
problematic, because these families must use individuals from the community to provide care for
their children while they work who are not guaranteed to have had adequate training.
A family’s ability to access information is best measured through the use of surveying techniques
that allow researchers to gain an understanding of the difficulties individuals face when it comes
to gaining knowledge on topics such as the quality of local childcare centers and the availability
of subsidized funding. The Early Childhood Alliance used this technique to great effect in
Framingham. Through surveying techniques, they were able to identify that language barriers
were a huge obstacle to information for the Spanish-speaking and Portuguese-speaking
communities in Framingham (Early Childhood Alliance, 2010). This example shows that the use
of surveying techniques allows researchers to pinpoint issues pertaining to access of information
that may be unique to a local area. Information that must be accessible for families looking to
put their children into early childhood education centers includes the location of the center, age
limits of the facility, the acceptance of POC, and the operating hours of the center.
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
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Indicators Examined
Based on the literature reviewed, the indicators examined for this needs assessment were used to
gain a deeper understanding of the structural and socioeconomic traits of the families in
Delaware, allowing the pinpointing of regions in need of quality early childhood education.
Indicators include the poverty rate, unemployment rate, education level, number of single
mothers, and families without vehicles. These indicators were chosen because they can have an
immense impact on a child’s prospects for future success and also influence families’ ability to
provide their children with a high-quality early childhood education.
An understanding of the prevalence of poverty in a family unit, which is directly related to
unemployment, is necessary, because many children who grow up in low-income homes are at a
severe disadvantage and can be considered in the high-needs category for receiving a quality
early childhood education. This disadvantage manifests itself in lower overall scores on
intelligence and verbal tests, an increase in behavioral problems that are detrimental to learning,
and a drastic decrease in kindergarten readiness due to family and social factors linked to poverty
(Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, 2005). These negative consequences result from the fact that many
children raised in low-income households do not have access to the same opportunities for
growth, because they often attend lower-quality schools, face certain material hardships, and
have lower-quality relationships with their parents due to a decrease in amount of time spent
together and an increase in stress related to financial hardship.
The “number of single mothers in the region” indicator was chosen because this variable has
been classified as placing children at risk for later school success. Some issues that can arise for
many children born to single mothers include low birth weight, health and behavior problems,
and decreased language and literacy skills when compared to their peers (Rhode Island KIDS
COUNT, 2005).
“Education level” was examined because the educational attainment of parents, particularly the
mother, is a strong determinant of their children’s chances to be successful in school, develop to
their potential, and remain healthy throughout their childhood (Rhode Island KIDS COUNT,
2005). These outcomes occur because income and job quality increase along with educational
attainment, leading to a situation in which parents are able to adequately support their children
financially and enable them to spend more time with their children. The increased time spent
together, in turn, strengthens the bond between parent and child, leading to increased
developmental outcomes.
“Number of families without a vehicle” was examined because access to a quality early
childhood education can be severely hampered if families have inadequate methods of
transportation. Without vehicles, families are forced to bring their children to early childhood
education centers within walking distance of their residency or ones that are accessible through
the use of public transportation. The restrictions placed by inadequate transportation severely
limit the choices of early childhood education centers that parents practically have for their
children and make it impossible for some children to attend centers at all. These problems are
only exacerbated in rural areas where public transportation is often non-existent and the chances
of an early childhood education center being within walking distance of a family’s residency are
slim at best.
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
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Delaware Profile
Delaware comprises three counties—New Castle, Kent, and Sussex. New Castle County has the
highest percentage of the population (60.0%), followed by Sussex (22.0%) and Kent (18.0%).
Wilmington is the largest city in the state, and nearly eight percent of the state’s population
resides here. According to U.S. Census data, Delaware’s population was 897,934 in 2010.
Delaware’s population is mostly white (68.9%), followed by black (21.4%), and other races.
African Americans comprise 58.0 percent of the City of Wilmington’s population, which is a
higher percentage than that of Kent County (24.0%), New Castle County (23.7%), or Sussex
County (12.7%). Hispanics comprise 8.2 percent of the state’s population. The City of
Wilmington has the highest percentage of Hispanics in the population (12.4%) followed by New
Castle County (8.7%), Sussex County (8.6%), and Kent County (5.8%). Sussex County has the
highest percentage of whites in the population (79.0%) followed by Kent County (67.8%), New
Castle County (65.5%), and the City of Wilmington (32.6%). See Table 1.
Table 1. Delaware’s Racial/Heritage Profile by Delaware, County, and City of Wilmington
Total Population
White
Black
American Indian & Alaskan Native
Asian
Native Hawaiian &
Other Pacific Islander
Two or More Races
Other
Persons of Hispanic or Latino Origin
Delaware
897,934
618,617
191,814
4,181
28,549
Kent
162,310
109,999
38,913
1,043
3,306
New Castle
538,479
352,955
127,786
1,574
23,300
Sussex
197,145
155,663
25,115
1,564
1,943
City of
Wilmington
70,851
23,079
41,127
312
685
400
91
159
150
10
23,854
30,519
73,221
5,723
3,235
9,346
13,590
19,115
46,921
4,541
8,169
16,954
1,827
3,811
8,788
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census
Delaware’s children from birth to age eight make up 11.2 percent of the state’s population. The
City of Wilmington has the highest percentage of children in this age range (12.7%) followed by
Kent County (12.4%), New Castle County (11.2%), and Sussex County (10.3%). See Table 2
and Figures 1 and 2.
Table 2. Delaware Population Distribution Age 0-8
Total Population
Population Aged 0-8
Percent Population Aged 0-8
Delaware
897,934
100,863
11.2
Kent
162,310
20,118
12.4
New Castle
538,479
60,394
11.2
Sussex
197,145
20,351
10.3
City of
Wilmington
70,851
8,989
12.7
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
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Figure 1. Total Population, Birth to Age 8
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, University of Delaware’s Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
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Figure 2. Percent Total Population, Birth to Age 8
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, University of Delaware’s Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
9
There were 1,395 Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) providers as of October 1, 2012. Most
were Family Providers (61.6%), followed by Centers (32.6%) and Large Family Providers
(5.7%). The City of Wilmington had the highest percentage of Centers (40.4%) and Large
Family Providers (8.6%), while Sussex County had the highest percentage of Family Providers
(67.0%) followed by Kent County (64.1%). See Table 3.
Table 3. Number and Percent of OCCL Providers as of October 1, 2012,
Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington
Delaware
Licensed Day Care Center
Licensed Family Child Care
Licensed Large Family Child Care
Total
Kent County
Licensed Day Care Center
Licensed Family Child Care
Licensed Large Family Child Care
Total
Balance of New Castle County
Licensed Day Care Center
Licensed Family Child Care
Licensed Large Family Child Care
Total
City of Wilmington
Licensed Day Care Center
Licensed Family Child Care
Licensed Large Family Child Care
Total
Sussex County
Licensed Day Care Center
Licensed Family Child Care
Licensed Large Family Child Care
Total
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
Number
Percent
455
860
80
1,395
32.6
61.6
5.7
100.0
86
166
7
259
33.2
64.1
2.7
100.0
216
400
34
650
33.2
61.5
5.2
100.0
80
101
17
198
40.4
51.0
8.6
100.0
73
193
22
288
25.3
67.0
7.6
100.0
10
In Delaware, capacity for OCCL providers was at 52,361 spaces as of October 1, 2012. Capacity
was determined by taking the sum of the number of children for whom a provider is licensed to
care for. Licensed Day Care Centers had the most (84.2%), followed by Licensed Family Child
Care (13.9%) and Licensed Large Family Child Care (1.9%). It should be noted that in Sussex
County nearly one-quarter (23.2%) of the capacity is in Licensed Family Child Care, and greater
than one-quarter of Licensed Large Family Child Care is included as well. See Table 4.
Comparing total capacity for each county in Table 4 to population numbers in Table 2 one can
see that there appear to be more children than slots, further analysis is needed to determine the
actual gaps. This information does provide an insight into potential capacity issues.
Table 4. Number and Percent of OCCL Providers Capacity as of October 1, 2012,
Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington
Delaware
Licensed Day Care Center
Licensed Family Child Care
Licensed Large Family Child Care
Total
Kent County
Licensed Day Care Center
Licensed Family Child Care
Licensed Large Family Child Care
Total
Balance of New Castle County
Licensed Day Care Center
Licensed Family Child Care
Licensed Large Family Child Care
Total
City of Wilmington
Licensed Day Care Center
Licensed Family Child Care
Licensed Large Family Child Care
Total
Sussex County
Licensed Day Care Center
Licensed Family Child Care
Licensed Large Family Child Care
Total
Capacity
Percent
44,090
7297
974
52,361
84.2
13.9
1.9
100.0
7,668
1,400
86
9,154
83.8
15.3
0.9
100.0
23,302
3,410
418
27,130
85.9
12.6
1.5
100.0
7,961
845
204
9,010
88.4
9.4
2.3
100.0
5,159
1,642
266
7,067
73.0
23.2
3.8
100.0
In Delaware, 337, or nearly one-fourth (24.2%), of the OCCL providers are participating in Stars
as of October 1, 2012. The City of Wilmington has the highest provider-participation rate in
Stars (30.8%) followed by the remainder of New Castle (26.2%), Kent County (21.2%), and
Sussex (17.7%) County. See Table 5.
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
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Table 5. Number and Percent of OCCL Providers Participating in Stars as of October 1, 2012, Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington
Number
Delaware
Not Participating
1,058
Star Level 1
83
Star Level 2
143
Star Level 3
27
Star Level 4
63
Star Level 5
21
Total
1,395
Kent County
Not Participating
204
Star Level 1
24
Star Level 2
16
Star Level 3
5
Star Level 4
7
Star Level 5
3
Total
259
Balance of New Castle County
Not Participating
480
Star Level 1
30
Star Level 2
73
Star Level 3
14
Star Level 4
37
Star Level 5
16
Total
650
City of Wilmington
Not Participating
137
Star Level 1
14
Star Level 2
31
Star Level 3
6
Star Level 4
8
Star Level 5
2
Total
198
Sussex County
Not Participating
237
Star Level 1
15
Star Level 2
23
Star Level 3
2
Star Level 4
11
Star Level 5
0
Total
288
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
Percent
75.8
5.9
10.3
1.9
4.5
1.5
100.0
78.8
9.3
6.2
1.9
2.7
1.2
100.0
73.8
4.6
11.2
2.2
5.7
2.5
100.0
69.2
7.1
15.7
3.0
4.0
1.0
100.0
82.3
5.2
8.0
0.7
3.8
0.0
100.0
12
Of the 337 Star providers in Delaware as of October 1, 2012, 111 (32.9%) are in Star Levels 3, 4,
or 5, which are considered quality and eligible for higher POC-reimbursement rates. New Castle
County (excluding Wilmington) has the highest percentage of quality providers (39.4%),
followed by Kent County (27.3%), the City of Wilmington (26.2%), and Sussex County (25.5%).
See Table 6.
Table 6. Number and Percent of Providers by Quality as of October 1, 2012,
Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington
Number
Delaware
Quality Providers
111
Total Star Providers
337
Kent County
Quality Providers
15
Total Star Providers
55
Balance of New Castle County
Quality Providers
67
Total Star Providers
170
City of Wilmington
Quality Providers
16
Total Star Providers
61
Sussex County
Quality Providers
13
Total Star Providers
51
Percent
32.9
100.0
27.3
100.0
39.4
100.0
26.2
100.0
25.5
100.0
In Delaware, nearly half (47.7%) of the capacity or slots belong to OCCL providers that are not
participating in Stars. Nearly one-quarter (22.4%) of the slots belong to providers at Star Level 2,
followed by Star Level 4 (11.1%), Star Level 1 (7.9%), Star Level 5 (6.8%), and Star Level 3
(4.1%). Capacity was again determined by taking the sum of slots for which each center was
licensed, and the percentage was calculated by dividing the number of slots for each Star level by
the total number of slots for each subcategory. It is important to note that Kent and Sussex
Counties have percentages of capacity or slots that belong to providers not participating in Stars,
57.3% and 55.6% respectively, that are higher than that of the state of Delaware. See Table 7.
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
13
Table 7. Number and Percent of Capacity by Star Level as of October 1, 2012,
Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington
Capacity
Delaware
Not Participating
24974
Star Level 1
4146
Star Level 2
11754
Star Level 3
2139
Star Level 4
5796
Star Level 5
3552
Total
52361
Kent County
Not Participating
5244
Star Level 1
1178
Star Level 2
1343
Star Level 3
568
Star Level 4
453
Star Level 5
368
Total
9154
Balance of New Castle County
Not Participating
11600
Star Level 1
1604
Star Level 2
6161
Star Level 3
883
Star Level 4
4068
Star Level 5
2814
Total
27130
City of Wilmington
Not Participating
4200
Star Level 1
539
Star Level 2
2505
Star Level 3
670
Star Level 4
726
Star Level 5
370
Total
9010
Sussex County
Not Participating
3930
Star Level 1
825
Star Level 2
1745
Star Level 3
18
Star Level 4
549
Star Level 5
0
Total
7067
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
Percent
47.7%
7.9%
22.4%
4.1%
11.1%
6.8%
100.0%
57.3%
12.9%
14.7%
6.2%
4.9%
4.0%
100.0%
42.8%
5.9%
22.7%
3.3%
15.0%
10.4%
100.0%
46.6%
6.0%
27.8%
7.4%
8.1%
4.1%
100.0%
55.6%
11.7%
24.7%
0.3%
7.8%
0.0%
100.0%
14
Of the participating providers in Stars in Delaware, 41.9 percent of the capacity or slots are
located in Star programs with ratings of 3, 4, or 5. A rating of 3 or higher is considered quality;
quality programs are eligible for higher rates for POC reimbursement. New Castle County
(excluding Wilmington) has the highest percentage slots in quality programs at 50 percent, and
Sussex County has the lowest at 18.1 percent. See Table 8.
Table 8. Number and Percent of Capacity by Quality as of October 1, 2012,
Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington
Capacity
Delaware
Quality Providers
11,487
Total Star Providers
27,387
Kent County
Quality Providers
1,389
Total Star Providers
3,910
Balance of New Castle County
Quality Providers
7,765
Total Star Providers
15,530
City of Wilmington
Quality Providers
1,766
Total Star Providers
4,810
Sussex County
Quality Providers
567
Total Star Providers
3,137
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
Percent
41.9
35.5
50.0
36.7
18.1
15
Figure 3. Map of Delaware’s Counties and Municipalities
Source: University of Delaware’s Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
16
Indicator: Educational Attainment*
The first indicator looked at is the educational attainment of individuals in each census tract.
According to the American Community Survey’s 2007-2011 estimates on educational attainment
in the state of Delaware, of the 585,844 individuals age 25 years and older, 12.2 percent (71,437)
have less than a high school education. Of the 585,844 individuals age 25 years and older in the
state, 31.6 percent (185,001) have completed high school. Furthermore, 27.9 percent (163,520)
have completed some college courses or have received associate’s degrees, while 28.3 percent
(165,886) have received bachelor’s degrees or higher. See Table 9.
In Kent County, where 17.3 percent (101,586) of the state’s 25-and-older population resides,
14.9 percent (15,153) have less than a high school level of education, and 33.8 percent (34,294)
have completed high school. Furthermore, 31.2 percent (31,705) have either completed some
college courses or received an associate’s degree, while 20.1 percent (20,434) have received a
bachelor’s degree or higher. See Table 9.
In New Castle County, where 59 percent (346,219) of the state’s 25-and-older population
resides, 10.6 percent (36,547) have less than a high school level of education, and 29.1 percent
(100,697) have completed high school. Furthermore, 27.2 percent (94,140) have either
completed some college courses or received an associate’s degree, while 33.2 percent (114,835)
have received a bachelor’s degree or higher. See Table 9.
In Sussex County, where 23.6 percent (138,039) of the state’s 25-and-older population resides,
14.3 percent (19,737) have less than a high school level of education, and 36.2 percent (50,010)
have completed high school. Furthermore, 27.3 percent (37,675) have either completed some
college courses or received an associate’s degree, while 22.2 percent (30,617) have received a
bachelor’s degree or higher. See Table 9.
In the City of Wilmington, where 7.8 percent (46,235) of the state’s 25-and-older population
resides, 17.7 percent (8,188) have less than a high school level of education, and 31.1 percent
(14,372) have completed high school. Furthermore, 25.3 percent (11,686) have either completed
some college courses or received an associate’s degree, while 25.9 percent (11,989) have
received a bachelor’s degree or higher. See Table 9.
In summary, levels of educational attainment in the state of Delaware vary based on the region
examined. The City of Wilmington has the highest percentage (17.7%) of people who have not
completed high school, while New Castle County has the lowest percentage (10.6%). Sussex
County has the highest percentage (36.2%) of people whose educational attainment is at the high
school level, while New Castle County has the lowest percentage (29.1%). Kent County has the
highest percentage (31.2%) of people who have either completed some college courses or
received associate’s degrees, while the City of Wilmington has the lowest percentage (25.3%).
New Castle County has the highest percentage of people who have an educational attainment at
the bachelor’s level or higher (33.2%), while Kent County has the lowest percentage (20.1%).
See Table 9.
*of individuals 25 years old and older
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
17
Table 9: Educational Attainment by Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington, 2007-2011 Estimates
< High
School
Delaware
Kent
New
Castle
City of
Wilm.
Sussex
Some
College or
Percent
Associate’s
Degree
31.6
163,520
33.8
31,705
Percent
High
School
71,437
15,153
12.2
14.9
185,001
34,294
36,547
10.6
100,697
29.1
8,188
17.7
14,372
31.1
Bachelor’s
Percent Degree or
Higher
Percent
Total
27.9
31.2
165,886
20,434
28.3
20.1
585,844
101,586
94,140
27.2
114,835
33.2
346,219
11,686
25.3
11,989
25.9
46,235
19,737
14.3
50,010
36.2
37,675
27.3
30,617
22.2
Source: 2007-2011 American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates, Table S1701
138,039
Figure 4 shows that certain areas within each county have high concentrations (greater than
17.08 percent) of individuals age 25 and older who have not completed high school. In New
Castle County, these areas include sections of the City of Wilmington and Delaware City. In
Kent County, these areas include a large portion of the western side of the county and the entire
eastern coast. In Sussex County, the areas in and around Delmar, Bridgeville, Selbyville,
Millsboro, and Georgetown are included. Comparing the information gleaned from Figure 4 to
Figure 2, we find the same areas have higher percentages (9% or higher) of children from birth
through age eight.
In the state of Delaware, there are 441 (31.6%) providers located within the areas in which 17
percent of the 25-and-older population have not completed high school. Of these 441 providers,
104 (23.6%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located within these
areas, 25 (24.0%) are considered to be quality programs, which constitutes only 5.7 percent of
the total licensed programs found within these regions. See Table 10 and Figure 5
In Kent County, there are 80 providers located within areas in which 17 percent of the 25-andolder population have not completed high school. These 80 providers account for 5.7 percent of
the total licensed programs in the state and 30.9 percent of the programs located in the county.
Of these 80 providers, 18 (22.5%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers
located within these areas, six (33.3%) are considered to be quality programs, which constitute
only 7.5 percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions. See Table 10 and
Figure 5
In New Castle County, excluding the City of Wilmington, there are 105 providers located within
the areas in which 17 percent of the 25-and-older population have not completed high school.
These 105 providers account for 7.5 percent of the total licensed programs in the state and 16.2
percent of the programs located in the county, excluding the City of Wilmington. Of these 105
providers, 25 (23.8%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located
within these areas, seven (28.0%) are considered to be quality programs, which constitute only
6.7 percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions. See Table 10 and Figure 5
In Sussex County, there are 148 providers located within the areas in which 17 percent of the 25and-older population have not completed high school. These 148 providers account for 10.6
percent of the total licensed programs in the state and 51.4 percent of the programs located in the
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
18
county. Of these 148 providers, 29 (19.6%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars
providers located within these areas, six (20.7%) are considered to be quality programs, which
constitute only 4.1 percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions. See Table
10 and Figure 5
In the City of Wilmington, there are 108 providers located within the areas in which 17 percent
of the 25-and-older population have not completed high school. These 108 providers account for
7.7 percent of the total licensed programs in the state, and 54.5 percent of the programs located
in Wilmington. Of these 108 providers, 32 (29.6%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the
Stars providers located within these areas, six (18.8%) are considered to be quality programs,
which constitute only 5.6 percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions.
After examining the data, it is clear that the Stars program must continue to be promoted in all of
the regions of the state to increase the number of quality early childhood centers in areas with a
high percentage of individuals who did not complete high school. See Table 10 and Figure 5.
Table 10: Number of Providers and Quality Providers in Areas with High Percentages of Individuals Who
Did Not Complete High School by Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington
Delaware
Kent County
Balance of New Castle
County
City of Wilmington
Sussex County
104
18
25
Quality
Star
Providers
25
6
7
% of Quality
Star
Providers
24.0
33.3
28.0
% of Quality
Compared to
All
5.7
7.5
6.7
32
29
6
6
18.8
20.7
5.6
4.1
All
Providers
Providers in
Stars
441
80
105
108
148
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
19
Figure 4. Educational Attainment: Percentage Less Than High School
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, University of Delaware Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
20
Figure 5. Quality Star Providers in Areas with High Percentages
of Individuals Who Did Not Complete High School
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
21
Indicator: Poverty
According to the American Community Survey’s 2007-2011 estimates, slightly more than one in
ten individuals in the state of Delaware for whom poverty status is determined are living below
the poverty level. Taken in its totality, 96,805 individuals out of the 865,744 who live in
Delaware fall under this category, and they are living on incomes that are less than ideal. The
ramifications of this level of poverty are numerous, including increased social-welfare costs and
decreased standards of living. See Table 11.
At the county level, poverty rates are at 10.7 percent for New Castle County (excluding
Wilmington), 11.5 percent for Sussex County, and 12.4 percent for Kent County. New Castle
County accounts for 60 percent of the state population for whom poverty status is determined. Of
these 519,750 individuals, 55,563 are living below the poverty level. In Kent County, where
nearly 18 percent of the state population for whom poverty status is determined resides, 19,275
of the 155,143 individuals live below the poverty level. In Sussex County, where 22 percent of
the state population for whom poverty status is determined resides, 21,967 of its 190,851
residents live below the poverty level. See Table 11.
The City of Wilmington, which is located within New Castle County and where eight percent of
the state population for whom poverty status is determined resides, has a poverty rate of 23.4
percent. This poverty rate is more than double the state’s rate, nearly two times as high as Kent
County’s (the county with the highest level of poverty in the state), and slightly more than two
times higher than the poverty rate of the remainder of New Castle County. Of the 69,044
Wilmington residents, 16,127 live below the poverty level. See Table 11.
Table 11: Total Number of Population Below the Poverty Level
by Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington, 2007-2011 Estimates
Delaware
Kent County
New Castle County
Wilmington
Sussex County
Population
Below Poverty
Level
96,805
19,275
55,563
16,127
21,967
Population for Whom Poverty
Status is Determined
865,744
155,143
519,750
69,044
190,851
Percent of Total
Population Below
Poverty Level
11.2
12.4
10.7
23.4
11.5
Source: 2007-2011 American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates, Table S1701
Figure 6 shows certain areas within each county have higher concentrations (greater than 15.3%)
of individuals for whom poverty status is determined who live below the poverty level. In New
Castle County, these areas include sections of the City of Wilmington. In Kent County, these
areas include some sections of the City of Dover and the entire eastern coast. In Sussex County,
these areas include Seaford as well as Georgetown and its surrounding areas. Comparing the
information gleaned from Figure 8 to that of Figure 2, we find that the same areas have higher
percentages (9% or higher) of children from birth to age eight.
In the state of Delaware, there are 371 (26.6%) providers located within the areas in which at
least 15.3 percent of the population is living below the poverty level. Of these 371 providers, 95
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
22
(25.6%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located within these areas
afflicted by high poverty, 29 (30.5%) are considered to be quality programs, which constitute
only 7.8 percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions. See Table 12 and
Figure 7.
In Kent County, there are 69 providers located within areas in which 15.3 percent of the
population is living below the poverty level. These 69 providers account for 4.9 percent of the
total licensed programs in the state and 26.6 percent of the programs located in the county. Of
these 69 providers, 16 (23.2%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers
located within these areas afflicted by high poverty, eight (50.0%) are considered to be quality
programs, which constitute only 11.6 percent of the total licensed programs found within these
regions. See Table 12 and Figure 7.
In New Castle County, excluding the City of Wilmington, there are 92 providers located within
areas in which 15.3 percent of the population is living below the poverty level. These 92
providers account for 6.6 percent of the total licensed programs in the state and 14.2 percent of
the programs located in the county, excluding the City of Wilmington. Of these 92 providers, 20
(21.7%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located within these areas
afflicted by high poverty, seven (35.0%) are considered to be quality programs, which constitute
only 7.6 percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions. See Table 12 and
Figure 7.
In Sussex County, there are 91 providers located within areas in which 15.3 percent of the
population is living below the poverty level. These 91 providers account for 6.5 percent of the
total licensed programs in the state and 31.6 percent of the programs located in the county. Of
these 91 providers, 22 (24.2%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers
located within these areas afflicted by high poverty, three (13.6%) are considered to be quality
programs, which constitute only 3.3 percent of the total licensed programs found within these
regions. See Table 12 and Figure 7.
In the City of Wilmington, there are 119 providers located within areas in which 15.3 percent of
the population is living below the poverty level. These 119 providers account for 8.5 percent of
the total licensed programs in the state and 60.1 percent of the programs located in the City of
Wilmington. Of these 119 providers, 37 (31.1%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the
Stars providers located within these areas afflicted by high poverty, 11 (29.7%) are considered to
be quality programs, which constitute only 9.2 percent of the total licensed programs found
within these regions.
After examining the data, it is clear that the Stars program must continue to be promoted in all of
the regions of the state to increase the number of quality early childhood centers in areas of high
poverty. See Table 12 and Figure 7.
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
23
Table 12: Total Number Providers and Quality Providers in Areas with a High Poverty Rate
by Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington
Delaware
Kent County
Balance of New Castle
County
City of Wilmington
Sussex County
95
16
20
Quality
Star
Providers
29
8
7
% of Quality
Star
Providers
30.5
50.0
35.0
% of Quality
Compared to
All
7.8
11.6
7.6
37
22
11
3
29.7
13.6
9.2
3.3
All
Providers
Providers
in Stars
371
69
92
119
91
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
24
Figure 6. Percentage of Population Below Poverty Level (100%)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, University of Delaware’s Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
25
Figure7. Quality Star Providers in Areas with a High Poverty Rate
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood,
University of Delaware’s Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
26
Indicator: Single Mothers
According to the American Community Survey’s 2006-2010 estimates, 52,072 families out of
240,596 (21.6%) are headed by single mothers. At the county level, 21 percent of families in
New Castle County, 16.6 percent of families in Sussex County, and 21.4 percent of families in
Kent County are headed by single mothers. In New Castle County (excluding Wilmington),
where nearly 55.2 percent of the state’s families are located, 27,920 families out of 132,830 are
headed by single mothers. In Sussex County, where 21.3 percent of the state’s families are
located, 8,486 families out of 51,255 are headed by single mothers. In Kent County, where 16.9
percent of the state’s families are located, 8,712 families out of 40,711 are headed by single
mothers. In the City of Wilmington, where 6.6 percent of the state’s families are located, 44
percent of families are headed by single mothers. Of the 15,800 families in Wilmington, 6,954
are headed by single mothers. See Table 13.
Table 13: Total Number Families and Single Mothers by Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington, 2010
Delaware
Kent County
New Castle County
City of Wilmington
Sussex County
Single Mothers
52,072
8,712
27,920
6,954
8,486
Total Families
240,596
40,711
132,830
15,800
51,255
% of Single Mothers
21.6%
21.4%
21.0%
44.0%
16.6%
Source: 2006-2010 American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates, Table B11003
Figure 8 shows there are certain areas within each county that have high concentrations of single
mothers (i.e., greater than 15.9%). In New Castle County, most of Wilmington and certain
sections of the Newark area have the highest percentage of single mothers. In Kent County,
Dover and surrounding areas and the area north of Harrington have the highest percentage of
single mothers. In the western part of Sussex County, the highest percentage of single mothers is
concentrated around the western border along U.S. Route 13. Comparing the information
gleaned from Figure 8 to that of Figure 2, we find that the same areas have higher percentages
(9% or higher) of children from birth to age eight.
In the state of Delaware, there are 606 providers (43.4%) located within areas in which at least
15.9 percent of the households are headed by single mothers. Of these 606 providers, 137
(22.6%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located within these areas,
21 (15.3%) are considered to be quality programs, which constitute only 3.5 percent of the total
licensed programs found within these regions. See Table 14 and Figure 9.
In Kent County, there are 123 providers located within areas in which 15.9 percent of the
households are headed by single mothers. These 123 providers account for 8.8 percent of the
total licensed programs in the state and 47.5 percent of the programs located in the county. Of
these 123 providers, 27 (22.0%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers
located within these areas, five (18.5%) are considered to be quality program, which constitute
only 4.1 percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions. See Table 14 and
Figure 9.
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
27
In New Castle County, excluding the City of Wilmington, there are 230 providers located within
areas in which 15.9 percent of the households are headed by single mothers. These 230 providers
account for 16.5 percent of the total licensed programs in the state and 35.4 percent of the
programs located in the county, excluding the City of Wilmington. Of these 230 providers, 52
(22.6%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located within these areas,
seven (13.5%) are considered to be quality program, which constitute only 3.0 percent of the
total licensed programs found within these regions. See Table 14 and Figure 9.
In Sussex County, there are 93 providers located within areas in which 15.9 percent of the
households are headed by single mothers. These 93 providers account for 6.7 percent of the total
licensed programs in the state and 32.3 percent of the programs located in the county. Of these
93 providers, 11 (11.8%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located
within these areas, three (27.3%) are considered to be quality programs, which constitute only
3.2 percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions. See Table 14 and Figure 9.
In the City of Wilmington, there are 160 providers located within areas in which 15.9 percent of
the households are headed by single mothers. These 160 providers account for 11.5 percent of
the total licensed programs in the state and 80.1 percent of the programs located in the city. Of
these 160 providers, 47 (29.4%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers
located within these areas, six (12.8%) are considered to be quality programs, which constitute
only 3.8 percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions.
After examining the data, it is clear that the Stars program must continue to be promoted in all of
the regions of the state to increase the number of quality early childhood centers in areas with a
high percentage of single-mother-headed households. See Table 14 and Figure 9.
Table 14: Total Number Providers and Quality Providers in Areas with High Percentage of Single Mothers
by Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington
Delaware
Kent County
Balance of New Castle
County
City of Wilmington
Sussex County
137
27
52
Quality
Star
Providers
31
7
11
% of Quality
Star
Providers
22.6
25.9
21.1
% of Quality
Compared to
All
5.1
5.7
4.8
47
11
10
3
21.3
27.3
6.2
3.2
All
Providers
Providers
in Stars
606
123
230
160
93
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
28
Figure 8. Percentage of Single-Mother-Headed Households
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, University of Delaware Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
29
Figure 9. Quality Star Providers in Areas with a High Percentage of Single Mothers
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood,
UD Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
30
Indicator: Vehicle Availability
According to the American Community Survey’s 2007-2011 estimates, 6.6 percent of the
households in the state of Delaware do not own a vehicle. Out of 332,837 households in the state
of Delaware, 21,969 do not own a vehicle. Without access to a vehicle, households are forced to
bring their children to early childhood–education centers that are within walking distance of their
homes or accessible via public transportation, and this problem is only exacerbated in rural areas.
See Table 15.
At the county level, 7.7 percent of households in New Castle County (excluding Wilmington),
4.1 percent of households in Sussex County, and 6.1 percent of households in Kent County do
not own a vehicle. In New Castle County, where nearly 60 percent of the state’s households are
located, 15,322 out of 199,922 households do not own a vehicle. In Sussex County, where 22.6
percent of the state’s households are located, 3,117 out of 75,286 households do not own a
vehicle. In Kent County, where 17.3 percent of the state’s households are located, 3,530 out of
57,629 households do not own a vehicle. In the City of Wilmington, where 8.8 percent of the
state’s households are located, 24.3 percent of households do not have access to a vehicle. The
percentage of individuals who do not own a vehicle in Wilmington is higher than that of all of
the counties’ percentages combined. See Table 15.
Table 15: Households with No Vehicle by Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington, 2007-2011 Estimates
Delaware
Kent County
New Castle County
Wilmington
Sussex County
Households with No
Vehicle
21,969
3,530
15,322
7,107
3,117
Total Households
332,837
57,629
199,922
29,293
75,286
% of Households with
No Vehicle
6.6
6.1
7.7
24.3
4.1
Source: 2007-2011 American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates, Table B25044
Figure 10 shows that certain areas within each county have high concentrations (greater than
14.11 percent) of households that do not own a vehicle. In New Castle County, these areas
include sections of the City of Wilmington. In Kent County, these areas include sections of
Dover. In Sussex County, these areas include Seaford. Comparing the information gleaned from
Figure 10 to that of Figure 2, we find that the same areas have higher percentages (9% or higher)
of children from birth to age eight.
In the state of Delaware, there are 207 (14.8%) providers located within the areas in which 14.1
percent of the households do not own a vehicle. Of these 207 providers, 63 (30.4%) are in the
Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located within these areas, 21 (33.3%) are
considered to be quality programs, which constitute only 10.1 percent of the total licensed
programs found within these regions. See Table 16 and Figure 11.
In Kent County, there are 14 providers located within areas in which 14.1 percent of the
households do not own a vehicle. These 14 providers account for 1.0 percent of the total licensed
programs in the state and 5.4 percent of the programs located in the county. Of these 14
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
31
providers, five (35.7%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located
within these areas, one (20.0%) is considered to be a quality program, which constitutes only 7.1
percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions. See Table 16 and Figure 11.
In New Castle County, excluding the City of Wilmington, there are nine providers located within
areas in which 14.1 percent of the households do not own a vehicle. These nine providers
account for 0.6 percent of the total licensed programs in the state and 1.4 percent of the programs
located in the county, excluding the City of Wilmington. Of these nine providers, six (66.7%) are
in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located within these areas, five
(83.3%) are considered to be quality programs, which constitute 55.5 percent of the total licensed
programs found within these regions. See Table 16 and Figure 11.
In Sussex County, there are 22 providers located within areas in which 14.1 percent of the
households do not own a vehicle. These 22 providers account for 1.6 percent of the total licensed
programs in the state and 7.6 percent of the programs located in the county. Of these 22
providers, three (13.6%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located
within these areas, one (33.3%) is considered to be a quality program, which constitutes only 4.5
percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions. See Table 16 and Figure 11.
In the City of Wilmington, there are 162 providers located within areas in which 14.1 percent of
the households do not own a vehicle. These 162 providers account for 11.6 percent of the total
licensed programs in the state and 81.2 percent of the programs located in Wilmington. Of these
162 providers, 49 (30.2%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located
within these areas, 14 (28.6%) are considered to be quality programs, which constitute only 8.6
percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions.
After examining the data, it is clear that the Stars program must continue to be promoted in all of
the regions of the state to increase the number of quality early childhood centers in areas with
high levels of households that do not own a vehicle. See Table 16 and Figure 11.
Table 16: Total Number Providers and Quality Providers in Areas with High Levels of Households that Do
Not Own a Vehicle by Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington
Delaware
Kent County
Balance of New Castle
County
City of Wilmington
Sussex County
63
5
6
Quality
Star
Providers
21
1
5
% Quality
Star
Providers
33.3
20.0
83.3
% Quality
Compared to
All
10.1
7.1
55.5
49
3
14
1
28.6
33.3
8.6
4.5
All
Providers
Providers
in Stars
207
14
9
162
22
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
32
Figure 10. Percentage of Households without a Vehicle
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, University of Delaware Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
33
Figure11. Quality Star Providers in Areas with High Levels of Households without a Vehicle
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood,
UD Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
34
Indicator: Unemployment
According to the American Community Survey’s 2007-2011 estimates, 7.7 percent of the
eligible population in Delaware that is actively seeking work is unemployed. This unemployment
rate of 7.7 percent means that 35,048 of the 452,634 people in the workforce who are 16 years or
older in Delaware are unemployed. Unemployment has a negative impact on families, such as a
decrease in income and living standards as well as an increase in stress. See Table 17.
At the county level, unemployment rates are at 7.6 percent for New Castle County, 7.8 percent
for Sussex County, and 8.1 percent for Kent County. New Castle County, where nearly 62.7
percent of the total population of individuals in the 16-and-older workforce reside, has 21,680
individuals out of 284,150 who are unemployed. Sussex County, where 22 percent of the state’s
total 16-and-older workforce reside, has 7,210 of its 92,860 individuals in this category. In Kent
County, where 16.7 percent of individuals in the total 16-and-older workforce reside, 6,158
people of the 75,624 included in this category are unemployed. See Table 17.
The City of Wilmington, which is located within New Castle County, has an unemployment rate
of 11.6 percent. This unemployment rate is the highest in the state. Of the 35,752 individuals in
the 16-and-older workforce, 4,160 are unemployed. See Table 17.
Table 17: Unemployment by Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington, 2007-2011 Estimates
Delaware
Kent County
New Castle County
Wilmington
Sussex County
Unemployed
Population
35,048
6,158
21,680
4,160
7,210
Total Workforce 16
Years and Over
452,634
75,624
284,150
35,752
92,860
% of Unemployed
Population
7.7
8.1
7.6
11.6
7.8
Source: 2007-2011 American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates, Table S1701
Figure 12 shows that certain areas within each county have high concentrations (greater than
12.32 percent) of their total workforce aged 16 and older who are unemployed. In New Castle
County, these areas include sections of the City of Wilmington. In Kent County, these areas
include the entire eastern coast. In Sussex County, these areas include Laurel and Georgetown.
Comparing the information gleaned from Figure 12 to that of Figure 2, we find that the same
areas have higher percentages (9% or higher) of children from birth to age eight.
In the state of Delaware, there are 187 (13.4%) providers located within the areas in which there
is an unemployment rate of at least 12.3 percent. Of these 187 providers, 52 (27.8%) are in the
Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located within these areas, 13 (25.0%) are
considered to be quality programs, which constitute only 7.0 percent of the total licensed
programs found within these regions. See Table 18 and Figure 13.
In Kent County, there are 12 providers located within areas in which there is an unemployment
rate of at least 12.3%. These 12 providers account for 0.9 percent of the total licensed programs
in the state and 4.6 percent of the programs located in the county. Of these 12 providers, three
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
35
(25.0%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located within these areas,
three (100.0%) are considered to be quality programs, which constitute 25 percent of the total
licensed programs found within these regions. See Table 18 and Figure 13
In New Castle County, excluding the City of Wilmington, there are 42 providers located within
areas in which there is an unemployment rate of at least 12.3 percent. These 42 providers account
for 3.0 percent of the total licensed programs in the state and 6.5 percent of the programs located
in the county. Of these 42 providers, 13 (31.0%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the
Stars providers located within these areas, three (23.1%) are considered to be quality programs,
which constitute only 7.1 percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions. See
Table 18 and Figure 13
In Sussex County, there are 33 providers located within areas in which there is an unemployment
rate of at least 12.3 percent. These 33 providers account for 2.3 percent of the total licensed
programs in the state and 11.5 percent of the programs located in the county. Of these 33
providers, nine (27.2%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers located
within these areas, three (33.0%) are considered to be quality programs, which constitute only
9.1 percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions. See Table 18 and Figure
13.
In the City of Wilmington, there are 100 providers located within areas in which there is an
unemployment rate of at least 12.3 percent. These 100 providers account for 7.2 percent of the
total licensed programs in the state and 50.5 percent of the programs located in Wilmington. Of
these 100 providers, 27 (27.0%) are in the Stars program. When looking at the Stars providers
located within these areas, four (14.8%) are considered to be quality programs, which constitute
only 4 percent of the total licensed programs found within these regions.
After examining the data, it is clear that the Stars program must continue to be promoted in all of
the regions of the state to increase the number of quality early childhood centers in areas with
high levels of unemployment. See Table 18 and Figure 13.
Table 18: Total Number Providers and Quality Providers in Areas with High Levels of Unemployment
by Delaware, Counties, and City of Wilmington
Delaware
Kent County
Balance of New Castle
County
City of Wilmington
Sussex County
52
3
13
Quality
Star
Providers
13
3
3
% of Quality
Star
Providers
25.0
100.0
23.1
% of Quality
Compared to
All
7.0
25.0
7.1
27
9
4
3
14.8
33.3
4.0
9.1
All
Providers
Providers
in Stars
187
12
42
100
33
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
36
Figure 12. Percentage of Unemployment
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, University of Delaware Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
37
Figure 13. Quality Star Providers in Areas with High Levels of Unemployment
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood,
UD Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
38
Summary and Recommendations
The primary focus of this report is on the location of early childhood education services in the
state of Delaware, with particular attention paid to high-needs children, which were defined as
children living in areas with high concentrations of unemployment, poverty, single mothers, no
vehicles, and educational attainment below the high school level. Ultimately, the hope is that this
report will validate previous assessments in this area while also serving as an impetus for further
research in this field, so that policies based on accurate information can be implemented, leading
to an improved early childhood–education system that will create a brighter future for all of
Delaware’s children.
In summary, the City of Wilmington has the highest percentage (17.7) of individuals who have
not completed high school, while the remainder of New Castle County has the lowest (10.6). The
City of Wilmington has the highest percentage (23.4) of individuals for whom poverty status is
determined living in poverty, while the remainder of New Castle County has the lowest (10.7).
The City of Wilmington has the highest percentage of families headed by single mothers (44.0),
while Sussex County has the lowest percentage (16.6). The City of Wilmington has the highest
percentage of individuals 16 and older in the workforce who are unemployed (11.6), while the
remainder of New Castle County has the lowest (7.6). The City of Wilmington also has the
highest percentage of households that do not own a vehicle (24.3), while Sussex County has the
lowest (4.1). Overall, the City of Wilmington has highest percentage of each of these indicators
when compared to the state as a whole and when compared to the three counties. In some cases,
particularly the “single mothers” and “no vehicle” indicators, the City of Wilmington has a
drastically higher percentage than any other area examined. Comparing the information gleaned
from Figure 2 to this information, we find that the same areas have higher percentages (9% or
higher) of children from birth to age eight. These are areas on which the focus should be for
continued quality improvement.
Table 19. Percentages of Individuals Represented Within Selected Indicators
Delaware
Kent County
New Castle County
City of Wilmington
Sussex County
No High School
12.2%
14.9%
10.6%
17.7%
14.3%
Poverty
11.2%
12.4%
10.7%
23.4%
11.5%
Single Mothers
21.6%
21.4%
21.0%
44.0%
16.6%
Unemployment
7.7%
8.1%
7.6%
11.6%
7.8%
No Vehicle
6.6%
6.1%
7.7%
24.3%
4.1%
Source: 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Tables S1701, B25044, and B11003
Overall, the City of Wilmington and Sussex County have lower percentages of quality Star
providers in the high need areas, as defined by the selected indicators, than does the state of
Delaware as a whole. See Table 20. Caution should be exercised due to small numbers used for
calculating the percentages. For example, Kent County has 100 percent of quality Star providers
in areas of high unemployment, but this constitutes only three providers (See Table 18, page 36).
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
39
Table 20. Percent of Quality Star Providers for Selected Indicators
Delaware
Kent County
Balance of New Castle
County
City of Wilmington
Sussex County
No High
School
24.0%
33.3%
28.0%
18.8%
20.7%
30.5%
50.0%
35.0%
Single
Mothers
22.6%
25.9%
21.1%
29.7%
13.6%
21.3%
27.3%
Poverty
25.0%
100.0%
23.1%
No
Vehicle
33.3%
20.0%
83.3%
14.8%
33.3%
28.6%
33.3%
Unemployment
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, University of Delaware Center for Applied Demography and Research
Table 21. Quality Star Providers as Percentages of All Providers for Selected Indicators
Delaware
Kent County
Balance of New Castle
County
City of Wilmington
Sussex County
No High
School
5.7%
7.5%
6.7%
5.6%
4.1%
7.8%
11.6%
7.6%
Single
Mothers
5.1%
5.7%
4.8%
9.2%
3.3%
6.2%
3.2%
Poverty
7%
25%
7.1%
No
Vehicle
10.1%
7.1%
55.5%
4%
9.1%
8.6%
4.5%
Unemployment
In conclusion, while this report does not provide an all-encompassing overview of the early
childhood–education system in the state of Delaware, it does provide answers to the following
questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Where are the children who need early childhood education services in Delaware?
Where are the early childhood service providers in Delaware?
What is the quality of early childhood service providers in Delaware?
What access is available for at-risk populations to quality providers in Delaware?
What are the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in resources and accessibility in Delaware’s
early childhood system?
Based on the findings from this report Delaware should continue to
•
•
Address the priority zones/areas where multiple indicators are a factor and target
providers for QRIS.
Encourage family childcare providers to participate in Stars, since very few are currently
participating.
Delaware should begin to
•
•
Start tracking children at a younger age, based on best practices from other states. This
will help with seamless linkages between providers and other early childhood care
providers and enhance a statewide education–data system.
Obtain the parent and provider perspectives around each of the main study questions. It
would be very valuable to find out where parents feel they have difficulty gaining quality
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
40
education and about the quality of care. Providers could also provide further insight to
struggles they may have.
Future Studies for Delaware:
•
•
•
•
Develop access methodology.
Examine the feeder schools of quality centers after the Stars program has been in place
for a few years to see how children are performing.
Examine the availability of transportation to and walkability to providers, especially
high-performing providers.
Further explore access to programs by obtaining available slots by age group and the
number of children who might need access to care for each age group.
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
41
References
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Byington, Teresa. (2009). Needs Assessment of Child Care Providers in Southern Nevada:
Training Needs and Interests. University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.
Camden City Board of Education. (2010). Early Childhood Education: Advisory Council Needs
Assessment
Delaware Early Childhood Council. Delaware Early Childhood Council: About Us. Retrieved
from http://decc.delaware.gov/about-us/
Delaware Health and Social Services. (2010). Affordable Care Act Maternal, Infant, and Early
Childhood Home Visiting Program Needs Assessment.
Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood. Participating in Stars. Retrieved from
http://www.dieec.udel.edu/delaware-stars-participating
Delaware Stars for Early Success. (2012). Early Care and Education Standards. Delaware
Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood
Early Childhood Alliance. (2010). Early Childhood Community Needs Assessment Summary
Report. The Early Childhood Alliance of Framingham.
Early Childhood Leadership Commission. (2011). Colorado Early Childhood Needs Assessment
Fiene, Richard; Carl, Barbara. (2010). 13 Key Indicators of Child Care Quality. Penn State.
Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service for
Guam Parent Information Resource Center. (2009). Early Childhood Needs Assessment: Results
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Hartzog, Melanie; Vecchiotti, Sara; Tarrant, Kate. (2008). Charting the Course for Child Care
and Head Start: Community Needs Analysis of Early Care and Education in New York City. New
York City Children’s Services
Heckman, James J. (2011). The Economics of Inequality: The Value of Early Childhood
Education. American Educator.
Institute for Public Administration. (2007). Campus Community School High School NeedsAssessment Study. Campus Community High School.
Land, Kenneth C. (2011). Child and Youth Well-Being Index (CWI). Foundation for Child
Development.
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McDonald, Davida. (2009). Elevating the Field: Using NAEYC Early Childhood Program
Accreditation to Support and Reach Higher Quality in Early Childhood Programs. NAEYC
Public Policy Report.
National Association for the Education of Young Children. Overview of the Four Steps.
Retrieved December 5, 2012, from http://www.naeyc.org/academy/pursuing/fourstepoverview
National Association for the Education of Young Children. Introduction to the NAEYC
Accreditation Standards and Criteria. Retrieved December 5, 2012, from
http://www.naeyc.org/academy/primary/standardsintro
National Association for the Education of Young Children. Overview of the NAEYC Early
Childhood Program Standards. Retrieved December 5, 2012, from
http://www.naeyc.org/files/academy/file/OverviewStandards.pdf
National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. (2008). Is this the Right
Place for my Child? 38 Research-Based Indicators of High Quality Care
Ray Marshall Center. (2012). Texas Early Childhood Education Needs Assessment.
Rhode Island KIDS COUNT. (2005). Getting Ready: Findings from the National School
Readiness Indicators Intitiative: A 17 State Partnership. David and Lucile Packard Foundation,
the Kauffman Foundation, and the Ford Foundation.
Rose, Stephanie; Schimke, Karen. (2011). The Road to High-Quality Early Education. Education
Commission of the States Policy Brief.
South Carolina MCH Bureau. (2010). South Carolina 2010 Title V Needs Assessment.
The State of Delaware. (2011). Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Application for Initial
Funding.
U.S. Census Bureau. Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months: 2007-2011 American Community
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U.S. Census Bureau. Tenure by Vehicles Available: 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5Year Estimates
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after Unemployment. Urban Institute Brief 25.
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
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Appendices
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
44
Figure 14. Educational Attainment: Percentage High School or Equivalent
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, University of Delaware Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
45
Figure 15. Educational Attainment: Percentage with Some College or an Associate’s Degree
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, University of Delaware Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
46
Figure 16. Educational Attainment: Percentage with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, University of Delaware Center for Applied Demography and Research
Delaware Early Childhood Needs Assessment
47
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