Despite the relative increase in early care and education (ECE) investment over recent decades, access to infant and toddler care continues to be a hurdle for countless families across the nation. While access is a multifaceted issue, main contributors include a lack of available slots and the high cost of providing care to infants and toddlers.…

The purpose of this paper is to explore the predominance of literacy activities within the homes of African American toddlers in an urban setting in Mississippi. The data were collected through a Likert survey from parent participants in daycares, preschools, and churches, as well as institutions from five different parts of Jackson, MS. The…

This paper presents a profile of Mississippi's Quality Step System prepared as part of the Child Care Quality Rating System (QRS) Assessment Study. The profile consists of several sections and their corresponding descriptions including: (1) Program Information; (2) Rating Details; (3) Quality Indicators for Center-Based Programs; (4) Application…