Tanya Gillespie-Lambert, director of community and parent involvement in Camden, New Jersey’s public school district, actively promotes free preschool at local events. Armed with brochures, she approaches moms and families, spreading the word about the district’s offerings for 3-year-olds and up, highlighting that the program is free and doesn’t require children to be potty-trained.
Gillespie-Lambert and her team employ various outreach methods, including door-knocking events clad in matching blue T-shirts and hats, alongside billboards, public service announcements, and posters across the town.
“I’m still surprised when people aren’t aware,” she commented. “They often say, ‘I didn’t know they could start at 3 years old, and it’s free?'”
While 44 states offer some form of free preschool, many “universal” programs for 3- and 4-year-olds only reach a fraction of eligible children. Reasons for limited access include insufficient funding for part-time preschool hours, additional costs for before- and after-care, transportation challenges, and opposition from private providers who receive state funds for their own programs.
Research underscores the benefits of preschool in early childhood development, enhancing literacy, numeracy, and social skills crucial for future academic success. However, private preschool costs can be prohibitive for lower-income families without state support.
Steven Barnett from Rutgers University’s National Institute for Early Education Research stresses that true universal preschool should guarantee availability without funding caps or waiting lists, akin to public school enrollment.
Participation rates vary significantly among states. In the 2022-2023 school year, state-funded preschools served 7% of 3-year-olds and 35% of 4-year-olds nationwide. Florida, Iowa, Oklahoma, and West Virginia lead with enrollment rates around 67%, while several states lag with single-digit enrollment figures.
Some states are expanding their preschool initiatives. Mississippi and Colorado have notably increased enrollment, but challenges persist, such as limited hours per week in programs like Colorado’s 15-hour weekly sessions and Vermont’s 10-hour offerings, posing obstacles for working families seeking full-day care.
Vermont Senator Ruth Hardy, while acknowledging gaps in current programs, advocates for expanding preschool to all eligible children, similar to primary school access. She highlights legislative efforts to study broader access options for 3- and 4-year-olds by 2026.
In states like Hawaii and Michigan, debates over public versus private preschool delivery models and educator shortages complicate efforts to expand access. In Hawaii, despite quality programs, staffing shortages hinder scaling efforts.
California, in its phased implementation of a universal pre-K program, faces staffing challenges despite progress toward full enrollment.
Overall, while states make strides in preschool accessibility through funding boosts and legislative measures, grassroots efforts like Gillespie-Lambert’s remain crucial in informing communities about available resources.
“People respond better to conversations than just reading flyers,” Gillespie-Lambert emphasized, underscoring the importance of personal outreach in increasing preschool enrollment awareness.