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For Immediate Release: April 10, 2012 |
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NAEYC: New State Pre-K Report Reveals Harmful Trend
State pre-K spending declined nearly $60 million nationwide from 2010–2011
WASHINGTON—The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the nation’s leading professional organization for those working with and on behalf of young children from birth through age 8, calls for greater support for high-quality state pre-K as a new report out today shows states cut funding for pre-K by nearly $60 million from 2010–2011 and many still lack quality assurances. This marks the second year of decline in total state pre-K spending.
The 2011 State Preschool Yearbook report, released by the National Institute for Early Education Research, shows that states are engaging in a dangerous trend of cutting pre-K funding. According to the report, these cuts, combined with modest enrollment growth, have resulted in a $145 reduction in national per-child spending from the previous year when adjusted for inflation. Per-child spending has now declined over $700 in the last 10 years.
“This report shows that many states are moving in the wrong direction. While these cuts may save states money in the short-term, they will result in long-term negative outcomes for children,” said Jerlean E. Daniel, PhD, Executive Director of NAEYC.
These cuts are particularly troubling because they come at a time when family incomes have fallen and access to high-quality child care is more difficult. Today, only one in six eligible children receives child care assistance, less than 4 percent of eligible infants and toddlers participate in Early Head Start, and less than half of all eligible preschool children participate in Head Start.
The report also found that while pre-K enrollment growth increased nationally, it was slow when compared to the overall trend of the past decade. Furthermore, the report identified another troubling longer-term trend of eroding quality. More than half a million children are being served by programs that met fewer than half of NIEER’s quality standards benchmarks.
“Investing in high-quality early childhood education is a proven and effective strategy for economic growth,” said Daniel. “Despite the economic challenges we face, states must remain committed to investing in pre-K and other early childhood programs for the future success and prosperity of our country.”
Founded in 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children is the largest and most influential advocate for high-quality early care and education in the United States.
