A comprehensive report released by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) on Wednesday has highlighted a significant disparity in the quality of state-funded preschool programs across the United States, with only six states meeting all ten of the organization’s rigorous quality benchmarks in 2025. The findings from the "State of Preschool 2025" report paint a mixed picture of progress, showcasing both exemplary models and areas where substantial improvement is needed to ensure equitable access to high-quality early childhood education for all four-year-olds.
The report, which analyzes data from the 2024-2025 school year, underscores the ongoing challenge of translating policy intentions into consistently high-quality early learning experiences. NIEER’s quality benchmarks are designed to encompass critical aspects of effective preschool programs, including manageable class sizes, adequately qualified and compensated teaching staff, comprehensive curriculum, and robust systems for continuous improvement. The fact that a majority of states fall short of these standards raises concerns about the readiness of young children entering kindergarten and the long-term educational and societal benefits that quality preschool can provide.
Georgia Emerges as a Model of Excellence in Early Education
Among the states that have achieved high marks, Georgia stands out as a particularly strong performer, lauded by NIEER as a "leader in preschool for 4-year-olds." The state’s universal program for four-year-olds was the first in the nation to meet all ten of NIEER’s quality benchmarks. This achievement is attributed to a concerted effort to implement key components of high-quality early learning.
According to NIEER’s analysis, Georgia’s success is rooted in several critical policy decisions. These include maintaining class sizes of 20 students or fewer, ensuring that lead teachers possess bachelor’s degrees, and implementing strategies that foster pay parity between preschool educators and their K-12 counterparts. This comprehensive approach to quality has been recognized as a scalable model that other states can emulate.
"Other states should take note: Georgia proves that state-funded preschool with well-qualified teachers, pay parity with K-12, small classes, and strong continuous improvement systems can be scaled as a universal program," stated Steve Barnett, director of NIEER, in a press release accompanying the report’s release. Barnett’s comments emphasize the report’s central message: that achieving high quality is not an insurmountable challenge but rather a result of deliberate policy choices and sustained investment.
Expanding Access and Enrollment: A Varied Landscape
While the focus on quality is paramount, the NIEER report also provides critical data on access and enrollment rates. The report highlights that 46% of all children enrolled in state-funded preschool programs nationwide are concentrated in just four large states: California, Florida, New York, and Texas. This concentration suggests that while these states are making significant investments in early education, the reach and impact of preschool programs may be unevenly distributed across the country.
The report also recognizes states that have made substantial strides in increasing enrollment. The District of Columbia, for instance, has achieved an impressive enrollment rate, with 94% of its four-year-olds participating in state-funded preschool. Missouri has demonstrated significant year-over-year growth, more than doubling its enrollment of four-year-olds from 10% to 22%. These examples offer insights into effective strategies for expanding access to early learning opportunities.
However, the report also identifies areas where progress has stalled or even reversed. In 2025, NIEER noted that 20 states experienced a decline in preschool enrollment compared to the previous year. Furthermore, 17 states saw their preschool spending decrease when adjusted for inflation in the 2024-2025 school year. States that experienced the most significant percentage decreases in preschool funding include Alaska, Arizona, Kentucky, Nebraska, and North Carolina, raising concerns about potential future impacts on program quality and access in these regions.
Financial Investment in Early Childhood Education
The financial commitment to early childhood education is a key indicator of its societal prioritization. The NIEER report indicates that states spent an average of $8,124 per child enrolled in preschool during the 2024-2025 academic year. However, this average masks considerable variation. Two states, New Jersey and Oregon, along with the District of Columbia, stand out for their substantial per-child investment, allocating more than $15,000 each in state funding per enrolled child. This level of investment suggests a strong commitment to providing high-quality resources and support for early learners in these jurisdictions.
Conversely, the report identifies six states – Idaho, Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, South Dakota, and Wyoming – that currently do not have a state-funded preschool program that meets NIEER’s definition of state support. This definition encompasses crucial elements such as the age groups served, the breadth of enrollment reach, the provision of group early education experiences, and the extent of state financial participation. The absence of such programs in these states signifies a significant gap in early childhood education infrastructure and points to a critical need for policy development and investment.
The Road Ahead: Ensuring Universal Access to High-Quality Preschool
The "State of Preschool 2025" report serves as a stark reminder of the work that remains to be done to achieve the goal of providing high-quality preschool education to all three- and four-year-olds in the United States. The metaphor used by NIEER in the report succinctly captures the current landscape: "If providing high-quality preschool education to all 3- and 4-year-olds were a race, some states are nearing the finish line, others have stumbled and fallen behind, and a few have yet to leave the starting line."
The implications of these findings are far-reaching. Research consistently demonstrates that children who attend high-quality preschool programs are more likely to succeed academically, experience better social-emotional development, and exhibit higher rates of high school graduation and college enrollment. Conversely, children who lack access to such programs are at a disadvantage from the outset, potentially perpetuating cycles of educational and economic inequality.
The disparities highlighted in the NIEER report suggest a need for targeted policy interventions. States lagging in quality benchmarks may benefit from technical assistance and best practice sharing from leaders like Georgia. Those with low enrollment rates might explore strategies employed by the District of Columbia and Missouri to expand access. Furthermore, addressing the decline in funding and enrollment in certain states requires a renewed commitment from policymakers to prioritize early childhood education as a critical investment in the nation’s future workforce and society.
The report’s release comes at a time when early childhood education is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of a robust educational system and a vital component of economic development. As states continue to grapple with budget constraints and competing priorities, the data provided by NIEER offers a crucial evidence base for advocating for sustained and increased investment in high-quality preschool programs. The findings underscore that while progress has been made, the journey toward universal access to excellent early learning experiences is far from complete, demanding continued attention, collaboration, and commitment from all stakeholders.
The benchmarks themselves are critical components of early childhood education:
- State funding: The presence of state financial support for preschool programs.
- Program reach: The percentage of eligible children (typically 3- and 4-year-olds) enrolled in state-funded programs.
- Qualified staff: Requirements for lead teachers to hold at least a bachelor’s degree and for assistant teachers to have specific qualifications.
- Teacher compensation: Policies aimed at ensuring teachers receive salaries and benefits comparable to their K-12 counterparts.
- Class size and staff-child ratios: Standards designed to ensure individual attention and effective supervision for young children.
- Curriculum and assessment: The availability of research-based curricula and systems for monitoring children’s progress.
- Professional development: Opportunities for ongoing training and skill enhancement for early childhood educators.
- Parental involvement: Strategies to engage families in their child’s learning.
- Program evaluation: Systems for assessing the effectiveness of preschool programs and making data-driven improvements.
- Adequate facilities: Ensuring that preschool environments are safe, stimulating, and conducive to learning.
The states that met all 10 benchmarks in 2025 were not explicitly named in the provided snippet, beyond Georgia being recognized as a leader. However, the report’s overall message is that only a small fraction of states are currently providing early education programs that fully embody these essential quality indicators. This situation implies that millions of young children across the country may be attending preschool programs that lack crucial elements for optimal development and school readiness.
The implications of this report are significant for policymakers, educators, parents, and researchers. It provides a clear roadmap for states seeking to improve their early childhood education systems and highlights the persistent challenges in achieving equitable access to high-quality preschool. The continued focus on these benchmarks by NIEER is intended to drive ongoing improvement and ensure that all children have the opportunity to benefit from the foundational advantages that a strong start in early education can provide.
