Summary of Article's First 150 Words

Total word count: 3105

In our annual survey on the state of child care, we found directors of non profit child care centers to be unusually anxious. Directors agree that events in the next few years will dramatically alter the child care delivery system for low and moderate income families.


For example, one director from the midwest observed:

"The shifting of social service decision-making to the states and the passage of welfare reform have thrown our world topsy-turvy. Left to their own devices, I fear our state officials will seek to buy the most care for the least cost. Parents' needs for stable, stimulating environments for their children will be ignored and licensed, high quality centers will be abandoned unless we as advocates make ourselves heard."

Not all non profit directors responded so pessimistically. Some see this as a window of opportunity to remake a child care system that doesn't work.

However, whether directors see the glass as ...