Maine Cost and Quality Study

2001-2002

Project Directors: Nancy L. Marshall, Ed.D., Joanne Roberts, Ph.D., Wendy Wagner Robeson, Ed.D

Funders: Maine Department of Human Services, Office of Child Care, Head Start

Co-Director at Muskie Institute, University of Southern Maine: Julie Dennehy
Co-Directors at Abt Associates: Cindy Creps, Nancy Burstein
Co-Director at University of Maine, Farmington: Betsy Squibb

The goal of the Maine Cost and Quality Study is to examine full-day, year-round, community-based center care for preschool-age children (2.9 years to 5 years) and licensed family child care homes. In 2000-01, we observed 96 preschool classrooms and interviewed directors about the costs of providing care. In 2002-03, we observed 80 family child care homes and interviewed providers about the costs of providing family child care and their experiences as family child care providers.

This study addresses the following research questions:

  1. What is the quality of early care and education services in Maine?
  2. What are the costs of early care and education services?
  3. What is the relationship between quality and costs? Does it cost more to provide higher quality care?

The report on the full-day, year-round centers for preschoolers is now available.

The report on family child care homes in Maine is now available.