Early learning opportunities for children play several critical roles in promoting the economic vitality of the state. For parents, it enables them to work and support their families. For children, rich learning environments provide early opportunities that encourage academic, language and social development. These roles support both the current economic climate and lay the groundwork for the future. In addition to its value for parents and children, child care is itself a major industry with substantial economic value for the state.  For the full report click here.

This report examines the importance of the Florida child care industry as a major employer and an important factor in economic growth, both locally and statewide. Child care settings support the workforce directly in employing workers, paying wages and taxes, and purchasing goods and services from other Florida industries. The industry also plays a critical role in indirect support of the Florida workforce by enabling parents to participate in educational programs and enter and remain in the workforce.

What Can You Do with this Information?

The information contained in this report can be used for educating state and local policy makers, media, the chamber of  commerce, other industries, and the general public about the role that early learning plays in Florida’s economy. The set of tools included can be utilized for the following purposes:

• For educating members of all Florida’s communities,
• For establishing economic comparisons between the early learning industry and other industries, and
• For underlining the impact that quality early learning has on children in the present and for our future workforce.