Millions of eligible three and four year-olds are not enrolled in quality Pre-Kindergarten programs that can help prepare them for school. These children, both middle and low‐income, enter kindergarten without the skills they need to succeed in school.

We urge those running for public office to explain their plans for developing and funding high‐quality Pre‐Kindergarten programs that are available to all families with three- and four-year old children. We urge Congress, the President, and local legislators to make a committment to quality early education programs for every child regardless of income or background.

State of Pre-K

The state of Pre-Kindergarten varies across the country:

• State-funded Pre-K programs currently serve just 22% of four year-olds, and 3% of three year-olds nationally. 
• Florida, Georgia, and Oklahoma are the only states that currently make Pre-K available to all four year olds.
• Twelve states have no state-funded Pre-K program at all.
• States' spending on Pre-K programs varies widely, from $1,600 per child in South Carolina to more than $10,000 per child in New Jersey.
• Ten states currently meet five or fewer of NIEER's* quality-checklist criteria.
• Just two states - Alabama and North Carolina - currently meet all ten of NIEER's quality benchmarks.
• Eight states do not require any state Pre-K teachers to have a bachelor degree.
• 70% of Pre-K teachers report earning a salary below 200% of federal poverty guidelines.

Too many of our children, both middle and low-income, enter kindergarten without the skills they need to succeed in school. Research clearly shows that one of the best means to boost K-12 achievement is to ensure that children get a strong start in a high-quality Pre-Kindergarten program.

Young children are eager learners. What and how much children learn before entering school matters a great deal. For instance, children who begin kindergarten already knowing their letters are more likely to do better in reading and math. These children are significantly more likely to be reading by the end of kindergarten. Children who begin kindergarten familiar with basic numbers and shapes are significantly more likely to begin to understand basic addition and subtraction by the end of that year. Children who don't have these skills are more likely to struggle and even fall behind their peers.

Quality is Key

High-quality Pre-Kindergarten programs can help children enter school ready to learn. High-quality programs which result in the best child outcomes include these features: 

• Well-educated and trained teachers. Research shows that the most effective Pre-Kindergarten teachers, who foster both socio-emotional and cognitive development, have a bachelor degree and specialized training in early childhood development.
• Low teacher-child ratios and appropriate group sizes. Young children need individualized attention. Classrooms serving Four year-olds should have no more than 10 children per teachers, and include no more than 20 children total.
• Age-appropriate curriculum based in research. A well-rounded, age-appropriate, research-based curriculum is an essential tool for helping teachers ensure that the needs of all children in their classroom are met. Good curricula take advantage of the many ways in which children learn, and offer children ample opportunity to engage actively in both learning and play.
• Engaged parents. High-quality programs must involve and inform parents, integrating them into their child's early education experiences.
• Safe and well-planned facilities. The facilities must protect the health and safety of the children and staff; but also should have adequate indoor and outdoor space, providing a variety of areas and opportunities for learning (such as areas for play, art, reading, math and science).

Public Opinion

Latinos believe Pre-Kindergarten programs are an important priority for the government to address now. Sixty-nine percent of respondents believed this, and over three-quarters (78%) would be more likely to support a candidate running for office if he or she proposed making voluntary Pre-K available to all families. Voters in Minnesota, a key swing state, think that the government should fund voluntary pre-k for all families. 58% of voters think this and 59% think that establishing voluntary Pre-K for all is an important priority to address now because getting children ready for school will help improve K-12. 

Learn More

>Economic Benefits of Pre-K Education (pdf)
>Pre-K and Early Learning (pdf)