Rebecca Koenig Interim Senior Editorial Director | EdSurge Research
In 2024, early childhood education programs across the United States saw significant increases in both enrollment and spending. However, these advancements were largely driven by a few states, leaving others trailing behind. Concerns have been raised about the potential negative impact of inconsistent investment in these programs.
Steve Barnett, director at the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), emphasized the delicate balance of funding sources that support early childhood education. "For decades we’ve said this is a system that blends and braids funding to serve kids," he noted. "If you pull out one of the major funding sources, the fear is the whole system is destabilized."
The NIEER released its annual State of Preschool Yearbook report detailing enrollment and spending in state-funded preschool programs for children aged three and four. The report surveyed administrators from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.
Enrollment in state-funded programs increased by 7% during the 2023-2024 academic year compared to the previous year. This rise was mainly due to California and Colorado enrolling more than 30,000 additional children combined—accounting for 60% of the overall increase.
Allison Friedman-Krauss, associate director for policy research at NIEER, commented on this trend: "The positive trend is enrollment is going up; almost every state had an increase." Nine states saw enrollment grow by more than 20%, including Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Ohio.
However, some states with long-standing universal preschool programs like Iowa, Georgia, and Florida experienced stagnant or declining enrollment rates. Barnett expressed concern over this pattern: "We’re a little worried these states may be canaries in the coal mine."
Despite increased enrollment figures nationally—from 34% to 37% for four-year-olds and from 6% to 8% for three-year-olds—nearly half of all states enrolled fewer children than before the pandemic.
Quality remains a pressing issue within pre-K programs nationwide. Only five states meet all ten NIEER benchmarks for high-quality preschool programs: Alabama, Hawaii, Michigan, Mississippi, and Rhode Island. Meanwhile, twenty-one states meet five or fewer benchmarks.
"When states put money into quality programs," stated Barnett in reference to NIEER's findings on quality investments' long-term benefits: "Low spending results in low quality."
Barnett also pointed out that current metrics do not adequately assess teacher quality or account for waivers lowering standards: "[The waivers are] a temporary patch when real solutions involve raising compensation." He added that continued investment would help address labor market challenges regarding qualified teachers.
Funding reached record levels last year but followed similar patterns as enrollments—with just four key contributors (California; New Jersey; New York; Texas) responsible for over half ($13 billion) spent nationally on preschools after inflation adjustments while federal COVID relief funds decreased slightly ($257 million).
Friedman-Krauss anticipates further increases next year since most budgets have avoided recent federal cuts thus far: "[Next year’s funding] may not have been subjected" to uncertainties affecting earlier projections." However," she warned about potential impacts if proposed Head Start program cuts materialize amidst ongoing childcare financing debates."
"The federal context is cause enough" according Friedman-Kraus:"Not only because it isn't majority contributor but affects entire landscape shifting reporting focus."
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