Public education; early childhood care and education, child care access calculations, report.

This legislation mandates that the Virginia Department of Education develop a new methodology for calculating the true cost of high-quality early childhood care and education. By establishing these data-driven benchmarks, the state aims to better understand the systemic gaps in child care access and affordability for working families. The bill requires a formal report to be submitted to the General Assembly, providing policymakers with the necessary information to evaluate current funding levels and service availability. For Arlington families, this initiative is a critical step toward creating a more sustainable and transparent child care infrastructure. The likely effect is a more informed legislative framework that could lead to improved state-level support, reduced waitlists, and more equitable access to essential early learning services across the region.