West Virginia
Working families in West Virginia need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children.
Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in West Virginia. But too many working families in West Virginia are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the West Virginia economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
There are 109K children ages 5 and under in West Virginia – 56% of these children have all available parents in the workforce.
The typical annual cost of child care for an infant in West Virginia is around $10,000.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant only reaches 27% of eligible families in West Virginia. (This federal program helps low-income parents afford child care.)
On average, child care providers in West Virginia earn just $22,060 a year; this can make it a challenge to recruit and retain this workforce, leading to supply issues.
West Virginia’s economy loses $464M annually due to child care challenges.
West Virginia: In The Headlines
Capito cosponsors bill to make staffing headway in early childhood classrooms
Ripon Advance | July 28, 2025
To ensure that Early Head Start classrooms are fully staffed, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito recently offered a bipartisan bill that would permit classroom teachers in the program to simultaneously teach and earn their Child Development Associate credential.
Child care is still a big challenge in West Virginia
Williamson Daily News | aUGUST 29, 2025
West Virginia continues to be woefully short on child care: multiple counties don’t have a single child care provider, and other counties have limited spots.
New report: WV education outcomes still nearly last in country, fewer kids attending preschool
West Virginia Watch | June 12, 2025
West Virginia’s ranking for child well-being has made slight improvements, but the state is still struggling with students meeting basic academic benchmarks.
West Virginia Resources & News
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2024 Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets
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FFYF Analysis of 2024 State of the State Addresses
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Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care & Early Learning in FY2022
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal grants to states to design and operate programs that help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. TANF plays a crucial role in …
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New Rural Child Care Policy Framework
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FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets
Our new analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that child care and early learning programs have tremendous impacts on young children, their families, and the economy at …
The First Five Things To Know About: A New Poll Showing Voter Support For Child Care Funding
In July 2023, Public Opinion Strategies completed a poll on behalf of the First Five Years Fund, examining voter attitudes toward the issue of child care and early childhood education …
The First Five Things To Know About: A New Poll Showing West Virginia Voter Support For Child Care Funding
In July 2023, Public Opinion Strategies completed a poll on behalf of the First Five Years Fund, examining West Virginia voters’ attitudes toward the issue of child care and early …
New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program
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How CCDBG Benefits Families in Your State
The Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that provides child care assistance to low-income working families with children under age 13. The majority …
FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets
Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal …
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Learn About the Positive Impact of MIECHV in Your State
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2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding
FFYF has released the latest iteration of its annual state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made …
West Virginia — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes
This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …
West Virginia: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States
On Monday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) released their 2019 Early Learning Fact Sheets which provide an overview of early learning in each state. As in previous years, CAP’s …
See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care
Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …
West Virginia: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
