Kiddie Academy® grows footprint as US child care needs expand

News provided by

Jan 31, 2024, 08:41 ET

Educational child care franchisees open 23 new Academies in 2023

ABINGDON, Md. , Jan. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kiddie Academy® Educational Child Care, a nationally recognized educational child care franchise, opened 23 new franchise locations, growing its footprint by nearly 8% year over year. Kiddie Academy's 2023 expansion included four new markets—Hawaii, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Utah—resulting in 327 Academies now operating in 37 states and Washington, D.C.

Ground was broken on Kiddie Academy of Herriman, Utah, in June 2023, making it the first Kiddie Academy franchise location in the state.

"Our systemwide growth has increased steadily over the past several years," said Joshua Frick, president of Kiddie Academy Educational Child Care. "This is extremely important in the current climate, as more and more parents are seeking high-quality child care arrangements. We want to be there for parents in communities across the country."

In September 2023, pandemic-era federal funding for child care centers ended with more than 3 million children nationwide losing access to child care. New Care.com data says that after funding ended, 65% of respondents spent time on a daycare waitlist, with 81% of them on several waitlists at once. According to the Early Care & Education Consortium (ECEC), the impact on the child care market will continue to be felt for years to come.

Kiddie Academy aims to alleviate this impact by expanding into markets where high-quality educational child care is needed. The Center for American Progress indicates that Utah and Hawaii are two of the top four states with the highest share of people in child care deserts—two markets Kiddie Academy is focused on for growth.

The brand's expansion outlook is strong heading into 2024, with 71 franchise agreements signed and 41 sites secured for new Academy locations in 2023.

Last year also marked a milestone for accolade rankings. Kiddie Academy moved up 36 spots to No. 145 in Franchise Times' Top 400 index of franchisors and was ranked No. 96 in Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 index of top franchisors across the globe. The brand also ranked No. 35 on Entrepreneur magazine's list of Top Franchises for Veterans and No. 30 in the publication's inaugural ranking of top franchisors for multi-unit ownership.

"Approximately two-thirds of our operating Kiddie Academy franchise community own more than one franchise agreement," said Broc Silberzahn, vice president of franchise development. "We consider this a true testament to the trust and satisfaction franchisees find in the Kiddie Academy brand."

For more information about Kiddie Academy or to find a location in your area, visit KiddieAcademy.com. For information about franchising opportunities with the brand, visit Franchising.KiddieAcademy.com.

About Kiddie Academy^®Since its inception in 1981, the Kiddie Academy system has been recognized as a leading brand in educational child care. The company serves families and their children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old, offering full- and part-time care, before- and after-school care, and summer camp programs, through the Kiddie Academy system. Kiddie Academy's proprietary Life Essentials^® Curriculum, supporting programs, methods, activities, and techniques help prepare children for life. The company's philanthropic efforts, including support of national nonprofit Family Promise, take character education lessons learned in the classroom beyond Academy walls. Kiddie Academy Domestic Franchising, LLC has also received corporate accreditation from the globally recognized Cognia accreditation system, signifying its commitment to quality education and the highest standards in child care. For more information, visit kiddieacademy.com or find Kiddie Academy on Facebook at Facebook.com/KiddieAcademy.

About Kiddie Academy Domestic Franchising, LLC
Kiddie Academy Domestic Franchising, LLC is based in Maryland. There are currently more than 320 open Academies in the Kiddie Academy system, located in 36 states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 38,000 children. Each franchised location in the Kiddie Academy system is an independently owned and operated business. For more information, visit franchising.kiddieacademy.com.

Media Contact:
Taylor Castillejo, APR
Tombras
[email protected]
865.257.0026

SOURCE Kiddie Academy