State-Funded Pre-Kindergarten Program
Rationale
At present the current pre-kindergarten system is haphazard, piecemeal, and underfunded. Studies have shown that children who enter kindergarten with limited reading and other cognitive skills are the most likely to develop difficulties later on and end up in remedial education. Those who are the least skilled by third grade are the most likely to drop out before finishing high school. Investing in a quality preschool program is a key element to long-term educational success and workforce development.
About Measure
States that have state-funded pre-kindergarten education programs (in 1996).
Source
National Center for Children in Poverty. (1996). Map and track: State initiatives for young children and families. New York, NY: Columbia University.
| State | Pre-K Program |
|---|---|
| Alabama | No |
| Alaska | No |
| Arizona | Yes |
| Arkansas | Yes |
| California | Yes |
| Colorado | Yes |
| Connecticut | Yes |
| Delaware | No |
| Florida | Yes |
| Georgia | Yes |
| Hawaii | No |
| Idaho | No |
| Illinois | Yes |
| Indiana | Yes |
| Iowa | Yes |
| Kansas | No |
| Kentucky | Yes |
| Louisiana | Yes |
| Maine | Yes |
| Maryland | Yes |
| Massachusetts | Yes |
| Michigan | Yes |
| Minnesota | No |
| Mississippi | No |
| Missouri | No |
| Montana | No |
| Nebraska | No |
| Nevada | No |
| New Hampshire | No |
| New Jersey | Yes |
| New Mexico | No |
| New York | Yes |
| North Carolina | No |
| North Dakota | No |
| Ohio | Yes |
| Oklahoma | Yes |
| Oregon | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | No |
| Rhode Island | No |
| South Carolina | Yes |
| South Dakota | No |
| Tennessee | No |
| Texas | Yes |
| Utah | No |
| Vermont | Yes |
| Virginia | Yes |
| Washington | Yes |
| West Virginia | Yes |
| Wisconsin | No |
| Wyoming | No |
