Some of the Best Daycares in Washington, DC
Of Washington's 467 daycares, 447 (96%) hold a 4 or 5 star rating from Childery, matching District of Columbia's statewide rate of 96%. Locally, providers average 4.2 stars on Process inputs (state QRIS, NAEYC and other accreditation, federal Head Start CLASS scores) and 4.8 stars on Structural inputs (state regulatory baseline plus provider-level licensing data), compared with District of Columbia averages of 4.2 on Process and 4.8 on Structural.
The local market includes 358 centers, 57 group child care homes, and 39 family child care homes.
Listed alphabetically below are some of the highest-rated providers in Washington. Childery ranks providers using publicly auditable inputs: state QRIS scores, NAEYC-aligned ratios and group sizes, and federal CCDBG training coverage. See the District of Columbia methodology page for the full breakdown.
Rating Distribution in Washington
Mean rating across all displayed daycares in Washington: 4.7 (Sample of 467).
Process rating across all displayed daycares in Washington: 4.2 (Sample of 130).
Structural rating across all displayed daycares in Washington: 4.8 (Sample of 467).
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Some of the Best Daycares in Washington
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many licensed daycares are in Washington?
- There are 467 licensed child care providers in Washington.
- What percentage of Washington daycares have high quality ratings?
- 96% of Washington daycares hold 4 or 5 stars on Childery's composite rating, compared to 96% statewide in District of Columbia.
- What types of childcare are available in Washington?
- 358 center-based, 96 home-based providers operate in Washington.
- How do Washington daycares score on teaching quality compared to the rest of District of Columbia?
- Washington daycares average 4.2 out of 5 stars on Childery's Process score (teaching quality, QRIS ratings, and accreditations), compared to a District of Columbia statewide average of 4.2.
- Is there financial help for childcare in District of Columbia?
- District of Columbia offers childcare subsidies and assistance programs for income-eligible families. See income limits, waitlist status, and how to apply.Childcare subsidies in District of Columbia