National History of Preschools

Throughout the years, parents of every generation want the best opportunities for their children, and what better way to start off with than sending your child to preschool. Research from our nations statistics says that the vast majority of children’s learning occurs before age 5, but the vast majority of public funding is spent on their education beginning at age 5. (1)"State policy makers have been important leaders and decision-makers in the issues involving early childhood education, such as preschool. And since 1980, the amount of state-funded preschools around the nation had nearly quadrupled from 10 states, to 38. Early education is seen as a key part of a child’s developmental process for increasing their chances of success in kindergarten and on."
Many of the families living in our country are met with one too many hardships like, poverty, unemployment, and more. Children from families such as these should, more than anyone else, have a chance to have opportunities to exceed in life. (2)"Recognizing the importance of learning in these out-of-home experiences, more than 40 states invest in preschools—about $2 billion to serve about 765,000 children—often through targeted programs serving low-income and at-risk students. To ensure preschool programs are equipped to prepare children for kindergarten, states must also take steps to make sure these programs are of high quality.” Before 1960, there were only three states with programs. Since the late 1800s, Wisconsin allowed public school districts to enroll 4-year-olds in kindergarten and claim state aid. In 1903 New Jersey did the same. In 1949, Pennsylvania first permitted school districts to ‘maintain kindergartens for children aged 4 to 6,’ but did not provide any state funding. Between 1960 and 1970, four states created programs.

In 1965, Hawaii appropriated state money to expand Head Start. In 1966, California and New York established distinct half-day Pre-K programs with aims similar to Head Start. In 1968, Connecticut began to appropriate state funds for Head Start. During the 1970s, states created programs. In 1977, Alaska began a program modeled on Head Start. In 1978, Florida used state money to extend federal Title I Migrant Preschool programs, and both Maryland and Oklahoma started Pre-K programs. In the decade of the 1980s, 23 state programs began. In 1983, Maine and West Virginia permitted school districts to offer pre-kindergarten classes. In 1984, South Carolina and Texas started distinct Pre-K programs, followed in 1985 by Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, and Washington.

In 1986, Ohio and Massachusetts started Pre-K programs and Rhode Island began to fund Head Start. In 1987, Florida and New Jersey started new Pre-K programs in addition to the ones they already had, while Oregon and Vermont created their first programs. In 1988 and 1989, Colorado, Hawaii and Iowa started Pre-K programs and Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire and New Jersey began to appropriate state money for Head Start. In 1990, Kentucky launched its Pre- K program within the state’s comprehensive education reform act (KERA)
In the last decade of the 20th century, 21 states took action. In 1991, Arizona, Arkansas, Minnesota, and New Mexico started Pre-K programs and Wisconsin began to fund Head Start. In 1992, Nebraska began a Pre-K program. In 1993, Georgia started its Pre-K program and North Carolina launched Smart Start. They were joined by Delaware in 1994 and Virginia in 1995. In 1996 New Jersey re-designed and expanded its Pre-K program and Alabama launched a pilot preschool program. In 1997, Connecticut and Rhode Island started Pre-K programs.

In 1998, Missouri passed preschool legislation with funding beginning in 1999, Tennessee appropriated funding for its Pre-K program first legislated in 1996, and Kansas began a Pre-K program and appropriated funds for Head Start. Also in 1998, Oklahoma expanded its existing Pre-K program to all 4-year-olds. In 1999, Nevada appropriated funds to renovate several school buses to become mobile preschool classrooms.

In 2000, North Carolina and Texas appropriated state funds for Head Start, Alabama failed in an attempt to secure lottery funding to expand its Pre- K program and legislation on preschool was introduced, but did not pass, in Mississippi. At the beginning of 2001, only 9 states are without any state-funded Pre-K program. These are Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. The Governor of Indiana has proposed to budget $50 million for activities including preschool, Head Start and full-day kindergarten.


1. Education Week, Quality Counts 2002: Building Blocks for Success, State Efforts in Early Childhood Education (Bethesda, Md.: Education Week, 2002).

2. Marx, Fern and Michelle Seligson. (1988) Final reports of the Public School Early Childhood Study: The State Survey. New York: Bank Street College.

LINKS:
1 http://nieer.org/yearbook/
2 Preschool Facts Sheet
3 http://www.tennesseepolicy.org
4 http://www.hel-earlyed.org/
5 http://www.naeyc.org/