A national report released this week says Mississippi is one of just five U.S. states to meet 10 of 10 benchmarks that measure preschool quality.
The National Institute for Early Education Research’s (NIEER) 22nd State of Preschool report measured a wide range of factors to provide a research-based summary of preschool education in America.
RELATED: Mississippi 4th graders lead America in educational progress
The Magnolia State not only met each benchmark of quality in the study, but also grew enrollment for four-year-olds to 31st nationally, a four-spot jump from last year. Highlights from the 2023-24 school year include:
- Mississippi’s state-funded pre-K programs enrolled 7,145 children, an increase of 1,816 from the prior year, as the state began the State Invested Pre-Kindergarten Program
- State spending totaled $30,542,900, along with $1,251,287 in federal recovery support funds, an 83% spending increase from a year ago
- State spending per child, including federal recovery funds, equaled $4,450 in 2023-24, a $1,185 per-child spending increase (adjusted for inflation)
- Both of Mississippi’s pre-K programs met each of NIEER’s 10 research-based quality benchmarks recommended by the institute
While the tangible improvements are to be celebrated, education leaders also pointed to the need for further investment in the state.
“Mississippi is emerging as a national leader in expanding access to preschool while maintaining top quality standards,” said Dr. W. Steven Barnett, senior director and founder of NIEER. “However, the majority of Mississippi’s four-year-olds still do not have the opportunity to attend state-funded pre-K programs, and no three-year-olds are served. When states put money into quality preschool programs, they are investing in children’s futures and can expect to see strong returns on their investments.”
While Mississippi served 20% of four-year-olds in state-funded pre-K in 2023-24, the state was exceeded by Alabama (41%), Arkansas (32%), and Louisiana (34%), while not serving three-year-olds.
While enrollment for state-funded preschool education surged by more than 100,000 compared to 2022-23, concerns linger that the Trump administration’s proposed cuts to the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and other federal agencies will affect Head Start, a federal program that provides educational opportunity for low-income children, along with other education initiatives.
According to NIEER, if Head Start funding for children in low-income families is eliminated, access to public preschool will decline in many states by more than 10 percentage points and, in some states, by 20 percentage points.
“Nearly 15,000 3- and 4-year-olds in Mississippi could lose access to Head Start if federal funding for the program is eliminated. State pre-K in Mississippi, particularly the Early Learning Collaboratives, which rely on Head Start partnerships, could also be jeopardized,” said Dr. Allison Freidman-Krauss, lead author of the NIEER report. “Increased uncertainty about federal funding underscores the urgency for states to prioritize and expand early childhood investments.”
Mississippi, Alabama, Hawaii, Michigan, and Rhode Island are the only states nationwide to meet NIEER’s 10 benchmarks for preschool quality, measuring indicators such as teacher qualifications, class sizes, early learning standards, and program assessments.
You can find the NIEER’s full State of Preschool report here.
