The Hunt Institute Publishes the First-Ever National Analysis of State Child Care Finders

The new “National Child Care Finder Scale” assesses child care finder platforms in all 50 states and D.C.; finds reasonable access, but gaps in real-time availability, provider details and searchability.  The Report includes actionable steps for states to improve finders.  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 9, 2026

Contact: Shruti Desai, ED.D., Chief of Staff | The Hunt Institute

communication@hunt-institute.org | (984) 377-5200

Cary, N.C. (February 9, 2026) —

Finding affordable, reliable child care remains one of the biggest barriers to work and stability for American families with children aged birth to five – and for many parents, the search starts online. To support states in meeting their federal requirement to maintain consumer education websites – as mandated by the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Final Rule - The Hunt Institute has released the National Child Care Finder Scale, the first comprehensive framework assessing the quality and usability of these official state search platforms across the United States.  

  The report analyzes verified child care finders in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, scoring them on four categories: Design and Integration, User Experience, Search Filters, and Provider Profiles. The goal is to give state leaders a clear, actionable roadmap for continuous improvement, ensuring families can easily access accurate, timely, and usable information.    

Key Findings: An Adequate Baseline, But Significant Room for Growth 

The analysis shows that a small group of leading states has proven what’s possible: a high-functioning, parent-centered system that integrates services and speeds decision-making.

• Florida and New Mexico led the nation, standing out for their integrated approach to guiding parents from search through enrollment.  

• Along with the District of Columbia, Minnesota, Arkansas, and Kentucky, these six states, which scored at the “Exemplary” level, serve as national models for innovation, offering comprehensive information and streamlined user experiences. 

• 35 states scored at the “Enhanced” level, offering families an array of useful features, though often lacking the comprehensive data needed for a holistically useful experience. 

• Ten states scored at the “Adequate” level, meeting baseline usability expectations.  

“For a parent, a child care finder is more than just a website; it is a lifeline that connects them to the workforce and ensures their child is in a safe, nurturing environment,” said Dr. Javaid Siddiqi, President & CEO of The Hunt Institute. “The National Child Care Finder Scale is not just a ranking – it is a tool for equity. By highlighting best practices from leading states, we hope to empower all states to build platforms that truly serve the needs of modern families.  

Parent Perspectives: The Need for Modernization  

To ensure the findings reflected real-world needs, the study’s methods included in-depth interviews with 40 parents across 17 states. Their feedback directly shaped the analytic framework, highlighting two priorities for families:  

• Visibility is critical: Parents reported that official state sites often do not appear at the top of Google search results, crowded out by private directories.  

• Real-time data is in high demand: The ability to filter by “current availability” was the single most requested feature to reduce the frustration of calling providers who have no open slots.  

Policy Considerations for State Leaders  

The report offers actionable recommendations for state agencies and legislators to strengthen their early childhood systems:  

1. Enhance Visibility: Invest in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Generative AI search integrations to ensure state finders are the authoritative, top result for parents searching online. And have states clearly identify that a finder is state-authorized to build credibility and trust.  
2. Modernize Profiles & Enrollment: Move beyond static directories by upgrading platforms to include action-oriented data. States should work towards a unified journey that allows parents to view tuition costs, check real-time vacancy status, and directly apply for enrollment from the search platform and streamline the update process for providers to ensure data remains accurate. 
3. Align Filters with Needs: Add filters for non-traditional hours, subsidy acceptance, and special needs inclusion to help parents build viable shortlists quickly.  

“We saw that while nearly two-thirds of states offer essential search filters like location and age, only one-third provide the preferred filters that help parents make efficient decisions,” said Dr. Pritha Gopalan, Deputy Director of Early Learning at The Hunt Institute. “Closing this gap is a low-cost, high-impact way to support working families with young children.”    

Visit the landing page for the National Child Care Finder Scale to read the full report and view individual state profiles.  

About The Hunt Institute  

The Hunt Institute, an affiliate of the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, is a recognized leader in the movement to strengthen education policy. Marshaling expertise from a nationwide partner network since its establishment in 2001, The Institute brings together people and resources that help build and nurture visionary leadership and mobilize strategic action for greater educational outcomes and student success.  

About the National Child Care Finder Scale  

The National Child Care Finder Scale utilizes a grounded theory approach to evaluate state consumer education websites. The framework was developed through a review of literature, a national scan of verified platforms, and interviews with parents. It scores states on a 20-point scale across four categories: Design & Integration, User Experience, Search Filters, and Provider Profiles.  

Media Contact:  

Shruti Desai, ED.D. 

The Hunt Institute  

communication@hunt-institute.org 

(984) 377-5200