Virginia Beach child care providers adapt to changing enrollment

For Monet Outlaw, finding the right child care in Virginia Beach meant tracking down an environment built specifically for her son, who has level three autism. Outlaw needed a place that offered individualized attention, a patient staff, and a small, intimate setting where her child could grow.

That search led her to Little Achievers, a local child care center serving children with special needs. But as families across Virginia grapple with shifting options for early childhood education, providers like Little Achievers are being forced to adapt to a changing economic and regulatory landscape.

The need for early childhood services for children with disabilities extends across the commonwealth. According to the Virginia Department of Education, Early Childhood Special Education serves children ages 2 through 5 with identified disabilities or developmental delays, providing them with individualized education programs developed by educators alongside their families.

At the same time, the state has expanded publicly funded preschool opportunities for some families. School districts and community-based organizations receive financial backing from the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) to operate preschool programs targeting at-risk 3- and 4-year-olds who do not participate in Head Start.

Shifting Enrollment and Operating Pressures in Virginia Beach

Data from the National Institute for Early Education Research indicates that VPI enrollment reached 24,425 children across the 2024-25 school year, representing a growth of 1,387 participants compared to the preceding year.

Tabitha Darrell, owner of Little Achievers, notes that this expansion has affected traditional child care providers. Because children as early as three can now go to school, the scope of child care has changed.

VPI isn’t available to every 3- and 4-year-old, operating through both public schools and community-based organizations intended for at-risk children. Even so, Darrell points out that traditional centers are feeling the pinch as they struggle with enrollment and operating costs.

A lot of centers are closing down, having to close classrooms, and laying off staff.

To weather these pressures, Darrell chose to expand the ages her center can serve. Little Achievers now accepts children as early as six weeks old, whereas the facility was originally licensed for children 2 1/2 and up. The center also accepts families who receive child care subsidy assistance.

For parents like Outlaw, keeping specialized child care options viable remains essential. Outlaw credits the center with giving her the reliable support she needs as a single working parent.

Virginia Department of Education state records explain that financial support for VPI, Mixed Delivery, and the Child Care Subsidy Program forms a core component of the state’s initiatives to address parental demand for affordable early childhood education and care. For families navigating these programs, the broader changes ultimately boil down to whether they can secure a place that works for their child.