GSA Child Care Centers

By Elizabeth Saloom, September 16, 2003

Feds with kids may use over 110 childcare centers across 31 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The General Services Administration (GSA)-through a law Congress passed in 1985-has established the centers for federal families.

The GSA Office of Child Care said 93 percent of its centers provide care for infants, over half offer drop-in or emergency care, more than one-third have summer programs for school-age children, and 84 percent are open for at least 11 hours a day. There are about 4,300 children enrolled in these centers nationally.

The GSA has a nationwide network of childcare coordinators working in partnership with other federal agencies, boards of directors, childcare providers and GSA staff. The agency also makes available information on childcare centers in federal buildings. Individual federal agencies pay the GSA rent for childcare space. More centers are planned, the agency says.

Half of the center providers are non-profit. Almost 75 percent of the center's directors have 10 or more years experience in early childhood education.

The centers are independently operated and enrollment fees vary. Parents pay tuition, which depends on location, hours of care, the size of the center and other factors. Each center is required to have a tuition assistance program. Average rates per week are: for infants $183, toddlers $173, two-year-olds $157, pre-schoolers $141, kindergartners $137, and school age children $71.

Active-duty Army personnel in certain cities can use GSA childcare centers and are charged the same rate as for care on a military base. The Army National Guard, Reserves, ROTC, and recruiters are eligible. The selected pilot cities are: Anchorage, San Francisco, Atlanta, Ames, Iowa, Lawrence, Ind., Ft. Snelling, Minn., Jackson, Miss., Kansas City, Mo., St. Louis, New York, Albany, Rochester, N.Y., Syracuse, Columbia, S.C., Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston, and Seattle.