Boston continues to have a large and diverse system of early care and education for young children and their families. More than 1,069 early care and education providers in Boston include private and community-based Center-Based programs, Head Start and Early Head Start Center-Based programs, family child care providers, school-based preschool programs, and other license-exampt programs.

Data source: Department of Early Education and Care, Child Care Choices of Boston Boston Public Schools enrollment data. Data analysis: Boston EQUIP

What is the early care and education capacity of Boston?

Altogether, Boston’s supply of early care and education yields an active capacity of 19,235 for infant/toddlers and preschool-aged children.

• Center-Based and Head Start programs 58.6% of this total capacity (11,277 spaces); 
• Family child care provides 21.7% of total capacity (4,178 spaces);
• BPS provides 15.1% of total capacity (2,909 spaces); and
• Other license exempt programs provide the remaining 4.5% (871 spaces)

Data source: Department of Early Education and Care, Child Care Choices of Boston Boston Public Schools enrollment data. Data analysis: Boston EQUIP

What is Boston’s infant/toddler capacity?

There is a licensed and license-exempt infant/toddler capacity of 5,176 as of Spring 2009.

What is Boston’s preschool capacity?

There is a licensed and license-exempt preschool capacity of 14,059 as of Spring 2009.

How is capacity distributed?

Across the city, 73.1% of the early care and education capacity is for preschool children, whereas 26.9% is for infant-toddlers.

The majority of preschool capacity (61%), however, is provided by Center-Based and Head Start programs. 

Compared to preschool care, capacity for infants and toddlers in Boston is split relatively evenly between community-based and Center/Head Start programs (53%) and family child care programs (47%). 

How do supply and demand meet? 

Overall, Boston meets almost all of the need for preschool-aged children, but there is not enough capacity for Infants and Toddlers across the city.

Based on total population demand from Boston Birth Records 2002-2007, there is currently enough age-appropriate early care and education capacity to cover 24.2% of the entire population of (21,398) infants and toddlers, and 70.6% of the entire preschool age population (19,927).  

Current infant/toddler capacity meets 48.4% of a universal demand estimate that assumes need by 50% of all infants and toddlers. 

For preschoolers, the current preschool capacity meets 91.6% of the universal demand that assumes need by 77% of all preschoolers

Data source: Department of Early Education and Care, Child Care Choices of Boston Boston Public Schools enrollment data. Data analysis: Boston EQUIP