–» 28.0% of children in the San Luis Valley live in poverty compared of 12.2% Colorado statewide.

–» 22% of children in the San Luis Valley live in single parent households.
All SLV counties except Mineral report births to single mothers in excess of the state average of 26.8%. Many of these children will continue to be raised in single parent households placing them at high risk for low academic performance and other risk factors.

–» 37.5% of the San Luis Valley Elementary Schools received a "low" rating on their 2003/2004 school accountability reports.

–» There are 12 licensed centers and 31 licensed home providers offering full/day, full/year early childhood services. These providers have a capacity to care for approximately 877 children.

–» There are 3,876 children aged 5 and under in out pilot community. If only 30% of these children need childcare, we would need 1,163 slots for them. (Nationally 60% of children 0 to 5 are in childcare.)

Despite the educational requirements for being a child care center director or early childhood teacher these are among the lowest paying jobs. These jobs also offer few, if any, benefits. It is no surprise that high staff turnover rates are a problem in the child care industry. This, in turn, is a problem for children and families since it is essential to the healthy development of children to have consistency of care in the early years.