If You Build It, They Will Come: New Evidence On Latino Families Use Of Early Care And Education

Renee Lamoreau, Michael López, & Todd Grindal

There is widespread consensus that high-quality pre-kindergarten programs can provide sizable benefits for young children and their families. For Hispanic families, the positive effects of pre-kindergarten on children’s school readiness outcomes appear to be even stronger. Despite these benefits, prior studies have found that Hispanic children consistently participate in early care and education (ECE) programs at substantially lower rates than their non-Hispanic peers. Some researchers have interpreted these patterns as reflecting either a limited supply of accessible and affordable care, and/or that Hispanic families have a cultural preference for either not placing their children in formalized care or they prefer to use relative care (e.g. grandmother care).

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