 "The State of Preschool 2011: State Preschool Yearbook" shows that
over the past 10 years, Illinois moved up from serving 22 percent of
4-year-olds in 2002 to 29 percent in 2011. During the same period,
the state moved from serving 8 percent of 3-year-olds in 2002 to 20
percent in 2011, making Illinois first in the nation for serving
this age group. Spending per child has declined by nearly $1,000
over the last decade -- from $4,394 per child in 2002 to $3,449 per
child in 2011. Illinois now spends more than $700 less per child
than the national per-child amount of $4,151. Program standards for
pre-K in Illinois are high, as the state achieves nine out of 10
benchmarks for quality set by the National Institute for Early
Education Research.
"For the second year in a row, nationally
we're seeing declines in real spending and per-child spending that
strip resources from pre-K classrooms, many of which are already
funded at levels below what it takes to deliver high-quality
programs," said Steve Barnett, director of the nonpartisan National
Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University, which
has surveyed state preschool programs on a number of measures since
2001-2002.
"Illinois has a long way to go if it is to realize the goal of
providing state-funded pre-K to all children. It's a cruel irony
that when the Preschool for All law passed, 2012 was when universal
access was projected to be achieved. Yet the state served only 29
percent of 4-year-olds in 2011," he said.
Barnett added that that Gov. Pat Quinn's proposal to restore some
funds to state pre-K is a step in the right direction for a program
that was on track to become a national model.
The "2011 State Preschool Yearbook" shows total state funding for
the nation's pre-K programs decreased by nearly $60 million from the
previous year to the 2010-2011 school year. In the past 10 years,
real spending on state pre-K has declined by about 15 percent, or
more than $700 per child.
"A decline of this magnitude should serve as a wake-up call for
parents and policy leaders about how well we are preparing today's
preschoolers to succeed in school and later find good jobs in a
competitive market," Barnett said.
The yearbook findings, which include National Institute for Early
Education Research data over the past 10 years and recommendations
for policymakers, were released Tuesday morning at Bancroft
Elementary School in Washington, D.C. U.S. Secretary of Education
Arne Duncan was to join Barnett at the event.
[to top of second column] |
Despite a decade of progress in which many states began or
improved pre-K programs, state investments in high-quality pre-K are
now slipping. In fact, many children who need access to high-quality
pre-K programs still cannot attend.
Twenty-eight percent of all 4-year-olds and 4 percent of
3-year-olds were served by state pre-K programs in the 2010-2011
school year, raising total enrollment to more than 1.3 million. But
some states have opted to expand enrollment rather than maintain
quality, resulting in greater access but lower standards.
"If ignored, states run the risk of substituting inexpensive
child care for preschool education," Barnett said.
"States need to plan for future growth in pre-K just as they
would for major projects, such as infrastructure," he said, "and
avoid viewing pre-K as a year-to-year funding decision."
Barnett praised the federal $500 million Race to the Top -- Early
Learning Challenge that is providing grants to nine states for
improving quality, but he said more needs to be done. President
Obama has called on Congress to increase the federal commitment to
states for early childhood education.
State pre-K generally has enjoyed bipartisan support during its
expansion over the past decade. An overwhelming body of research
shows that high-quality pre-K prepares children to succeed in
school, enroll in college or career training, and helps more
students ultimately get better jobs that can help the nation's
economy.
This year's National Institute for Early Education Research
report highlights nationwide trends in pre-K programs over past 10
years.
___
The National Institute for Early
Education Research, a unit of the Graduate School of Education
at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J., supports early childhood
education policy by providing objective, nonpartisan information
based on research.
[Text from file received from the
National Institute for Early
Education Research; LDN]
 |
