Throughout our nation, families are facing a child care crisis with limited early child care education options due to ongoing staffing challenges, availability of open enrollment, and accessibility of dependable centers. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been national attention on the importance and necessity of child care not solely for the holistic development of children, but for the overall American economy. While many independent child care centers struggled to stay afloat, early child care franchises demonstrated resilience, experienced growth due to the high demand, and became stronger due to robust support infrastructure.
The urgent need for high-quality educational child care is prevalent throughout the country with 58% of working parents currently relying on child care centers so they are able to pursue their careers. Lightbridge Academy®, The Solution for Working Parents® and ranked as one of the fastest-growing franchises in the essential child care education industry, is committed to steady franchise growth to meet this demand in communities throughout the United States.
As a female executive with over 30 years of experience in educational child care and as a mother of four, I deeply empathize with the struggle to find a work-life balance to be a star in the boardroom and a supermom at home. For this reason, we as early child care providers not only provide high-quality programs for the children we care for but trusted support for working parents. With the child care crisis affecting over 6 million parents, my commitment as CEO is to grow our franchise presence that extends our programs and Circle of Care philosophy to new and existing markets and aid the families that we are devoted to serving.
Strategic Franchise Growth
Market research by Grand View Research places the child care industry’s valuation at $60.4 billion dollars and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.18% through 2030. With the industry’s unwavering demand and anticipated yearly growth, investing in early child care education franchise opportunities are a smart and rewarding venture for franchisees.
Embracing the nation’s strong demand for quality early child care education, we at Lightbridge Academy are prioritizing strategic growth and continuing to fulfill our mission to be The Solution For Working Parents®. We currently have a footprint of over 150 centers either open or in development throughout the United States. This year, Lightbridge Academy has signed 24 new franchise agreements with the goal of expanding into new markets including Texas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin in the near future, underscoring the essential need for early child care education programs across the nation.
Currently, Lightbridge Academy has nearly 20 centers in development and is looking to add a total of 40 additional locations across 10 different states by the end of the year in partnership with dedicated franchisees looking to make a transformational impact for the communities they serve. Now is the time for child care providers to prioritize strategic growth in markets where early child care providers are needed.
Meeting The Market Demand with Unparalleled Early Child Care Education
Meeting child care demands is not just about providing care, but delivering high-quality programs that cultivate children’s preparedness for their K-12 educational journey. At Lightbridge Academy, we embolden children for kindergarten through our innovative curriculum and Circle of Care philosophy that fosters a lifelong passion for learning. This year, Lightbridge Academy students tested 97% proficient in kindergarten-readiness skills according to the 2022-2023 Vine Assessment of four- and five-year-old Pre-Kindergarteners across key learning domains. Our proprietary Seedlings Early Childhood Education Curriculum utilizes theme-based lessons to strengthen each child’s emerging skills in reading, writing, science, technology, and math, along with enrichment programs including Spanish Sprouts, Signing Sprouts, Singing Sprouts, Yoga & Mindfulness, and Learning Without Tears® to expand on key building blocks that support its multi-sensory approach.
Steadfast Leadership with Devoted Franchise Support
Our franchisees are the dynamic force in providing The Solution for Working Parents® to the 150 centers open or currently in development with ongoing support from our committed and collaborative leadership team. Our leadership support includes assisting with site selection, expediting opening timelines, and being a reliable partner from franchise signing to the grand opening and beyond. At Lightbridge Academy, we take pride in bolstering our franchisees through expedited opening timelines, epitomized by our partnership with Single Tenant Net Lease (STNL), securing second-generation franchise agreements, and utilizing purchase and sale agreements. Our STNL partnership equips Lightbridge Academy to offer full-service real estate solutions informed by market data to scout new territories conducted with full-scale development. These initiatives have significantly shortened the timeline for opening new locations, empowering franchisees to begin operations faster to fulfill the vital need for trusted educational child care in their communities.
As professionals within the child care industry, we are incredibly privileged to hold such an essential place in the lives of children and families by supporting the parents who strive to work while their children learn and grow through our Circle of Care. Moreover, the child care industry plays an invaluable role in the economy by offering a vital service that enables parents to work. I’m incredibly proud to work in an industry where over 88% of child care workers are women, where working within an early child care center often commences their careers within the realm of education. Our employees comprised mostly of women are privileged to hold such an essential place in the lives of the children and families they serve and are eager to deliver our mission of being The Solution for Working Parents®.
As Lightbridge Academy welcomes prospective franchisees to embark on a successful and rewarding journey, we look forward to meeting the educational child care demands across the United States with our dedicated franchise partners. For those seeking a prosperous franchise venture that makes an exceptional impact, I encourage those to explore Lightbridge Academy’s offerings at LightbridgeAcademyFranchise.com. Together, we can make a lasting legacy of positive change through our early child care programs and Lightbridge Promise on the families and communities we serve.