Skip to main content
Recommendation One
Provide a program of voluntary preschool education, universally available to children from low-income families
Recommendation documents
 

Recommendation One

We Recommend...

that states provide a program of voluntary high-quality, preschool education, universally available to 3- and 4-year-old children from families at or below 200 percent of the poverty line.

Core indicators for this recommendation
  • 3- to 5-Year-Olds Enrolled in Preschool Programs
    Most Recent Estimate
    As of 2005
    57.0%
    of all 3- to 5-year-olds are enrolled in preschool programs.
    View details for this indicator
  • 3- to 4-Year-Olds Enrolled in State-Funded Pre-K Programs
    Most Recent Estimate
    As of 2008
    3.6%
    of 3-year-olds are enrolled in state-funded pre-K programs.
    View details for this indicator
  • 3- and 4-Year-Olds Enrolled in Head Start Programs
    Most Recent Estimate
    As of 2008
    8.8%
    of 3- and 4-year-olds are enrolled in Head Start programs.
    View details for this indicator
  •  
 
 
Illinois
established the Illinois Early Learning Council to implement early childhood efforts and initiatives; develop a multiyear plan to address gaps in capacity and quality; reduce policy, regulatory and funding barriers; and collaboratively plan and coordinate across programs, divisions and agencies at the state level.
Pennsylvania
provides more than 5,000 early childhood providers with ongoing technical assistance through a voluntary system that includes five levels of quality, evaluated by curriculum, teacher qualifications, and parent engagement through Keystone STARS (Standards, Training and Professional Development, Assistance, Resources and Supports). Higher-quality programs receive more compensation.
Washington
established a voluntary Quality Rating and Improvement System for child-care and early-education programs. Administered by the Department of Early Learning in collaboration with a public–private partnership, the department began a six-county pilot of the system, Seeds to Success, in July 2009.

How We Assemble Our Indicators

  • The indicators are rigorous
  • The indicators are measureable on a regular basis
  • The indicators have the ability to be disaggregated
Learn about the commission’s criteria to select indicators