West Virginia Classroom Observations

The WV Pre-K program serves 66% of the state’s four-year-olds, ranking 6th nationally for access (Barnett et al., 2017). West Virginia meets all 10 NIEER quality benchmarks due to a new requirement for assistant teachers to hold a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. Additionally, WV meets 9 out of 10 of NIEER’s more robust benchmarks, including class size, teacher qualifications, and monitoring. 

The passage of SB 146 (2016) enhanced the program by mandating at least 25 hours of weekly instruction. A report by Wechsler et al. (2016) praised the program’s design, continuous quality improvement, early learning standards, and integration into the K-12 funding formula. 

In 2015, NIEER and Marshall University began a five-year evaluation of the WV Pre-K program. Initial findings show positive impacts on children’s learning and development, especially for lower-income children. However, classroom quality varied, with some areas needing improvement. 

Overall, WV Pre-K demonstrates significant progress in access and quality, serving as a model for other states. 

2016 WV Pre-K Report

2016 WV Pre-K Report Appendix A

2016 WV Pre-K Report Appendix B

2017 WV Pre-K Report

2018 WV Pre-K Report

2019 WV Pre-K Report

2020 WV Pre-K Report

2021 WV Pre-K Report