An analysis of state spending on preschool shows that no states have decreased their budgets for early-childhood programs in fiscal 2007. And more states than ever—31, plus the District of Columbia—increased spending on pre-K, by a total of more than $450 million.
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The report from Pre-K Now, a Washington-based advocacy group, highlights efforts to build universal pre-K programs in Illinois and Massachusetts. It notes preliminary steps toward providing public preschool in Idaho, a state that the organization previously said was among those in the “pre-K wilderness.”
“Without a doubt, pre-K’s positive impact on budgets, its value as a key school reform strategy, and most importantly its potential to transform children’s futures have produced a powerful national momentum that is changing the face of public education,” the report says.