By Hank Russell
A new study shows that New York State falls behind a majority of other states when it comes to early education.
According to WalletHub, New York ranks 33rd in having the best early education system. The study took into consideration the following factors:
- access, which entails the share of school districts that offer a state Pre-K program, the share of three- and four-year-olds enrolled in state pre-K; share of three- and four-year-olds enrolled in Pre-K, Pre-K special education and Head Start programs; and the presence of waiting lists or frozen intake for child care assistance
- quality, which includes Pre-K quality benchmarks, income requirement for state Pre-K eligibility and the requirement of school safety plans and audits
- Resources and economic support, which means total reported spending per child enrolled in preschool; the change in state spending per child enrolled in preschool; and monthly childcare co-payment fees as a share of family income
The District of Columbia had the best early education program in the nation, while Indiana had the worst, according to WalletHub.
New York was in the middle of the pack when it came to access to early education. The state was 26th in accessibility, based on WalletHub data. Again, the District of Columbia came on top of the list and Indiana was at the bottom.
When it came to quality, New York State was at the bottom 10, sitting in 43rd place, despite leading the nation in total reported spending per child enrolled in preschool, aling with the District of Columbia, New Jersey and Oregon, WalletHub reported. South Dakota had the best early education system, while Hawaii had the worst.
The only category New York ranked high was resources and economic support, which had The Empire State in eighth place. The District of Columbia was at the top of the list, while Missouri was dead last, based on data from WalletHub. That is not surprising, based on a previous WalletHub study showed that New York parents pay the third-highest costs for childcare, as reported by Long Island Life & Politics.
This year, Governor Kathy Hochul allocated millions of dollars into early education programs, but it has mostly been directed to New York City. This includes $73 million for 2,000 slots in the city’s 2-K program, with an additional $425 million next year. Additionally, as reported in Long Island Life & Politics, Hochul announced she will make a $1.7 billion investment to cover an additional 100,000 children under five years old as part of the state’s universal childcare program. By 2027, the state will have invested $4.5 billion in childcare and prekindergarten services statewide. It was also reported that questions arose as to how the program would be paid for.
WalletHub noted that parents are concerned about the elementary, middle and high schools their children will attend, but never think about childcare. Citing statistics from the National Education Association, they said children who participate in early education programs are more likely to be academically prepared for later grades, graduate from high school and earn higher incomes as adults. Research also shows that pre-K attendance is associated with a lower likelihood of future criminal behavior. In addition, one estimate suggests that every dollar invested in early education programs for disadvantaged families can generate $7.30 in economic benefits by helping children become healthier and higher-earning adults.
“The more that states invest in early education, and the more accessible they make those programs, the more they will benefit in the future,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “Having access to quality early education gives students a jump start that can improve their future performance in school, as well as lead to better job opportunities and higher earnings in the long-term. A better-educated, higher-earning population will in turn bring economic benefits back to the state.”