Child Development

APPENDIX A 451

TABLE 10

Early Childhood Care and Education: Percentage of Children Ages 3 to 5a Who Are Enrolled in Center-Based Early Childhood

Care and Education Programsb by Child and Family Characteristics, Selected Years 1991– 1999

Characteristic 1991 1993 1995 1996 1999

Total 53 53 55 55 59

Gender

Male 5 2 5 3 5 5 5 5 6 1

Female 53 53 55 55 58

Race and Hispanic origin

White, non-Hispanic 54 54 57 57 59

Black, non-Hispanic 58 57 60 65 73

Hispanicc 39 43 37 39 44

Other 53 51 57 45 66

Poverty statusd

Below poverty 44 49 45 44 52

At or above poverty 56 53 59 59 62

Family type

Two parents 50 52 55 54 59

One or no parent 54 54 56 58 61

Mother’s highest level of educatione

Less than high school graduate 32 33 35 37 40

High school graduate/GED 46 43 48 49 51

Vocational/Technical or some college 60 60 57 58 63

College graduate 72 73 75 73 74

Mother’s employment statuse,f

Worked 35 hours or more per week 59 61 60 63 64

Worked less than 35 hours per week 58 57 62 64 63

Looking for work 43 48 52 47 55

Not in labor force 45 44 47 43 53

aEstimates are based on children who have yet to enter kindergarten.

bCenter-based programs include day care centers, Head Start programs, preschool, nursery school, prekindergarten, and other early childhood programs.

cPersons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

dPoverty estimates for 1991 and 1993 are not comparable to later years because respondents were not asked exact household income.

eChildren without mothers in the home are not included in estimates dealing with mother’s education or mother’s employment status.

fUnemployed mothers are not shown separately but are included in the total.

SOURCE:U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Household Education Survey.

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