Launched in 2024 to support Virginia Business Roundtable for Early Education (VBREE) efforts, the Shovel Ready Virginia Task Force sought to more deeply understand the root causes of persistent gaps in child care supply, specifically in (1) the physical spaces (environments, classrooms, and facilities) and (2) an early educator pipeline. After conducting a 12-month exploration of strategies and solutions that specifically address these gaps, the Task Force has endorsed this report outlining recommendations to advance its priorities for child care progress across all regions in Virginia.

Child care is essential to our families, workforce, and economy—but the current system is failing on all fronts. In this new report, Child Care Aware® of America and the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska assess the state of the child care market, highlight the barriers holding back progress, and lay out suggestions to build a stronger, more sustainable future.

ChildCare Aware of America found the national average price of child care for 2024 was $13,128. It would take 10% of the median income of a married couple with children to afford this national average price, and 35% of a single parent’s.

Virginia has provided thousands of children access to preschool over a year’s time, but the commonwealth continues to trail other states, which are expanding services and providing more kids a chance at early learning.

Microporous has plans to soon announce the first phase of our Child Care Initiative, a program which will offer grants to help address regional child care needs.