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One of four being published on a five-state project on the dynamics of child care subsidy use, this report provides a detailed look at families receiving child care subsidies in Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Texas, and the factors associated with length of subsidy receipt and provider stability. Data were collected and analyzed by a team of policy and methodology experts brought together through the Child Care Policy Research Consortium. State policy data were collected through document reviews and interviews with key informants. Micro-data were obtained from state child care subsidy administrative systems. Payment record files were also obtained for services during 24 calendar months in each state. Among the major findings is that the exercise of policy discretion at the state level has produced very different child care subsidy programs. The populations served in the various subsidy systems differed by income, the proportion of subsidized families that were