More kids than ever are attending state-funded preschool, with California's surge leading the way
Georgia preschool students listen to a teacher read a book Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at The Capitol Hill Child Enrichment Center in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Alyssa Pointer)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of 4-year-olds attending state-funded preschools reached record highs last school year, driven by states embracing universal access and an unprecedented $14.4 billion in spending.
State-funded preschool enrollment in the U.S. rose to 1.8 million kids, reaching 37% of 4-year-olds and about 10% of 3-year-olds, according to an annual report published Wednesday by the National Institute of Early Education Research. In total, states added 44,000 students to their preschool enrollment. But the report's authors noted that the gains were smaller than the year prior and said preschool access remains wildly uneven from state to state. Some states even lost ground.
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