Childcare tuition hikes hit mid-year with 30 days notice, but parents cannot switch providers

65% of childcare centers and 51% of school-based programs raised tuition in 2025, often mid-contract with as little as 30 days notice. Parents absorbing a $200/month surprise increase cannot realistically switch providers because every alternative has a months-long waitlist, and pulling a child from an established care environment causes developmental disruption. Unlike rent, which has lease terms protecting tenants, childcare enrollment agreements typically give the provider unilateral right to adjust rates at any time. This persists because the chronic supply shortage eliminates competitive pressure -- when every center in a metro has a waitlist, no provider fears losing families to a competitor over a price hike, so parents absorb increase after increase with no recourse.