Evaluating the Impact of Investor Ownership of Childcare Centers

Over the last decade, private investors—particularly private equity firms—have increased their ownership of childcare centers. Private equity firms now own eight of the eleven largest childcare chains and one in ten of all childcare centers. Sociologist Kim Pernell will investigate how the increasing trend of private investor ownership has influenced the price and quality of childcare. She will create a national dataset that includes longitudinal data on childcare quality, prices, and center ownership for her study.