owns 68 (included in the 649 centers) Montessori schools which cater to K-12 students. LPA's residential Academies are typically located in residential, middle-income neighborhoods, As of February 28, 2006, the company reported LTM sales and EBITDA of $411 million and $33 million, respectively. The company has been owned by JP Morgan Capital since 1998. B Nobe/ Learning Communities (Public) Nobel is a for-profit provider of private pay education and services for education entities for the preschool through 12th grade market. The company’s programs are offered through a network of general education preschools, elementary and middle schools, programs for learning challenged students and special purpose high schools. Nobel operates 150 schools in 13 states across the U.S. As of December 31, 2005, the company reported LTM sales and EBITDA of $166 million and $15 million, respectively. Affiliates of the Principals are currenily significant shareholders of the company. 8.3.4 Government's Role in Early Childhood Education Approximately 83% of the estimated 554 billion spent on ECE is generated by private and independent non-profit services. The government provides the remaining 17% of services through Head Start and public schools. The government pays for public school and Head Start programs, but also subsidizes payments of low-income families to providers of their choice through the Child Care Development Block Grant and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which are blended with state dollars. About 25% of for-profit early childhood care revenue comes from these subsidy programs. The government is, at both the federal and state level, actively involved in expanding the availability of early childhood care services. Federal support is delivered at the state level through government- operated educational and financial assistance programs. Early childhood care services offered directly by states include training, licensing and regulation for early childhood care provid