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How are permanent program closures distributed across CCEE program types and settings during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Description

Answering this question can provide insight into changes in the supply of CCEE programs during the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine if there are disparities in how permanent closures affected different CCEE program types. To answer this question, site level information can be used to identify programs that ended operations during the pandemic by early childhood program type and setting.

General Analysis Recommendation

Critical to this question is determining a date span for a time period of interest during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, March 11th, 2020, could be used as the start date, as this is when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic[1]. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ended the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration on May 11th, 2023[2]. One option is to use this date to mark the end of the pandemic. Other options could include using the dates when a state implemented lock downs or quarantines for infected individuals and when quarantine or mask mandates were lifted or other relevant policies were enacted in the state.

To identify which programs have permanently closed during the pandemic, filter the Operation Date Ended data element to only show values that fall between the state determined dates for the pandemic duration. To ensure that these programs are permanent closures and not temporary interruptions, additionally filter the data with the field Operational Status to only include programs marked “Inactive”.

Those programs that both have a date value for Operation Date Ended that is between the state defined pandemic duration dates and an inactive operational status can be assigned a numerical value of “1” and those that do not can be assigned a numerical value of “0”. Once programs with permanent closures are identified, they can be grouped by the corresponding Early Childhood Setting and Early Childhood Program Type Offered data element fields where “Yes” is indicated. The Site ID can then be counted to obtain the number of programs that experienced permanent closures in each program type and setting during the pandemic.

[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Museum COVID-19 Timeline (March 2023).
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. End of the Federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) Declaration. (September 2023).