Child care enrollment decisions among dual language learner families: The role of Spanish language instruction in the child care setting

• Head Start data were used to describe Spanish-speaking DLLs’ child care enrollment.
• Various potential factors influencing enrollment decisions were examined.
• Whether the child’s first language was exclusively Spanish influenced enrollment.
• Whether other DLL families attended the child care setting influenced enrollment.

Data from the Head Start Impact Study (N = 1141) and the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey, 2009 Cohort (N = 825) were used to describe child care enrollment decisions among Spanish-speaking Dual Language Learner (DLL) families. In particular, logistic regression models tested which child, family, and institutional characteristics predicted enrollment in early care and education (ECE) settings that used Spanish for instruction versus enrollment in settings that did not use Spanish. Results showed that whether the child’s first language was exclusively Spanish and whether other DLL families previously attended the ECE arrangement strongly predicted whether that child enrolled. Policy implications for Head Start-eligible Spanish-speaking DLLs are discussed.