The State of Preschool Yearbook 2020

The State of Preschool 2020 annual report finds that growth in state-funded preschool had slowed, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. And the COVID-19 pandemic imposed huge setbacks on preschool. Progress had also been uneven across the states, resulting in increased inequality in children’s access to high-quality preschool.

This report focuses on the 2019-2020 academic year but also provides information on the pandemic’s impacts on state-funded preschool into the 2020-2021 school year. Across the 44 states, DC, and Guam that funded a preschool program in 2019-2020, 34% of 4-year-olds and 6% of 3-year-olds were enrolled, essentially the same as last year. Three state-funded preschool programs made changes to gain an additional benchmark for minimum quality standards. States spent $300 million more on preschool (adjusted for inflation) than the prior year and state spending per child increased after two years of stagnation.

However, most states still spend too little per child to support high-quality, full-day pre-K and most do not come close to reaching all 3- and 4-year-olds or even all low-income 3- and 4-year-olds. Now is the time for a renewed commitment to and investment in high-quality preschool. A federal-state partnership can ensure fewer children miss out on the opportunity for a high-quality preschool experience.

Yearbook Contents

• Full Report
• Executive Summary
• Special Report: The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impact on Preschool
• What Qualifies as a State Preschool Program?
• Roadmap to State Profile Pages
• Methodology
• 2020 Survey Data
• Non-Survey Data
• National Press Release / en español
• Pre-release Reporters Briefing (YouTube)

State Profiles

Click a state to view its profile.

American Samoa

Commonwealth of The Northern Mariana Islands

Guam

Palau

Puerto Rico

Virgin Islands

Non-Survey Data

• Appendix A: State Survey Data 2019-2020
• Appendix B: Head Start Data
• Appendix C: U.S. Census Population Data
• Appendix D: Pre-K Special Education Enrollment Data

Suggested Citation: Friedman-Krauss, A. H., Barnett, W. S., Garver, K. A., Hodges, K. S., Weisenfeld, G. G. & Gardiner, B. A. (2021). The State of Preschool 2020: State Preschool Yearbook. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research.