Guam

Overview

During the 2023-2024 school year, Guam preschool enrolled 50 children, a decrease of 7 children from 2022-2023. State spending totaled $465,712, an increase of $2,310 (0.5%), adjusted for inflation since last year. State spending per child equaled $9,314 in 2023- 2024, up $1,184 from 2022-2023, adjusted for inflation. Guam met 6 of 10 quality standards benchmarks.

What's New

Guam saw a decrease in public preschool enrollment in 2023-2024, while keeping funding for public preschool relatively stable. Guam continued working on activities funded under a $2.8 million federal Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B–5) renewal grant. Funds are being used to support island-wide systemic improvements, parent engagement activities, and school readiness activities.

Background

The Guam Department of Education’s publicly funded Pilot Prekindergarten Program is available in all four regions of the territory’s single school district. Each region has one Prekinergarten Program classroom located within a public school. All age-eligible children may enroll in the program, which has no income limit for eligibility. Guam’s Prekindergarten Program operates six hours a day, five days a week, following the school year or academic calendar, and providing 1,080 hours of services per year. Both breakfast and lunch are served to children attending the program.

The program’s maximum class size is 18 children, with a teacher-to-student ratio of 1 to 9. Lead teachers are required to have an associate degree with early childhood education specialization and either pre-K or pre-K to 2nd grade certification. Lead teachers also are required to participate in 30 clock hours of in-service professional development annually. Assistant teachers are required to hold a high school diploma but are not required to participate in any professional development.

The Guam Department of Education also oversees the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Prekindergarten Program for 4-year-olds who meet specific qualifications. GATE is a one-year program to enhance the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive needs of gifted children without pressure and unnecessary structure. It is a balance between acceleration and enrichment activities and the intention of the program is to allow children to function at the level they are ready, while providing them with a background of experiences that will help them to be eager and effective learners.

Guam Department of Education Prekindergarten Program

Access

Total state pre-K enrollment	50
School districts that offer state program	100%
Income requirement	No income requirement
Minimum hours of operation	6 hours/day; 5 days/week
Operating schedule	School or academic year
Special education enrollment, ages 3 and 4	107
Federally funded Head Start enrollment, ages 3 and 4	534
State-funded Head Start enrollment, ages 3 and 4	0

Resources

*Pre-K programs may receive additional funds from federal or local sources that are not included in this figure. †Head Start per-child spending includes funding only for 3- and 4-year-olds. ‡K–12 expenditures include capital spending as well as current operating expenditures.