Planning for Child Care in Mono County
The Mono County Child Care Council plans for child care and early education services based on the needs of families in our community. We serve as a public forum to address the child care needs of all families in Mono County — across all types of care, both subsidized and non-subsidized.
Our work includes conducting needs assessments, setting funding priorities, and creating strategic plans to strengthen child care access and quality in our county.
Needs Assessment & Strategic Planning
The Council conducts a countywide child care needs assessment every five years to guide our strategic planning. The assessment gathers input from families, providers, and community partners through surveys, interviews, and local data review.
The most recent analysis (2022–2027) describes:
The current child care landscape in Mono County
Community strengths and gaps in services
Recommendations for improving access and quality
This work is completed in partnership with external research organizations and directly shapes the focus areas in our Strategic Plan.
Local zip code Priorities
History
Since 1998, state law has required Local Child Care Planning Councils to set annual funding priorities. These priorities guide the California Department of Education in allocating child care and preschool funding where it is most needed.
How priorities are set:
Analyze census and American Community Survey zip code data to estimate the number of children eligible for state-funded services.
Combine with local data (county growth trends, planning department data, school enrollment trends).
Review state and federal service data to see where eligible children are served or unserved.
Consider school performance and child outcome data.
Assign each zip code a Priority 1, 2, or 3 designation based on state thresholds.