New Report Reveals Record U.S. Preschool Funding—but Deep Gaps in Quality Persist

A new national report reveals that while state-funded preschool investment has hit record highs, early childhood education in the U.S. remains a patchwork of uneven quality and access. The 2024 State of Preschool Yearbook, published by the National Institute for Early Education Research, shows that states spent over $13.6 billion in the 2023–2024 school year, boosting enrollment to 37% of four-year-olds and just 8% of three-year-olds. Yet, this growth is largely driven by a handful of states, and most programs still focus almost exclusively on four-year-olds. Despite the funding boost—including $257 million in federal COVID-19 relief—access and quality vary widely by geography. The report serves as a call to action: real equity in early education will require not just funding, but consistency, oversight, and long-term commitment.