States Struggle to Find Secure Pre-K Funding

Programs are vulnerable amid budgetary worries, despite their popularity.

San Antonio

Even though state spending on prekindergarten has grown $1 billion nationwide over the past two years, a report says, state policymakers looking to sustain and expand their programs—especially in tough budget times—are still scrounging for more money.

The report from the Washington-based advocacy group Pre-K Now, released this month and presented at a conference here, shows that states are increasingly seeking to support their pre-K programs through school funding formulas embedded in state law, which provide the most stable source of revenue and the greatest potential for growth.

Of the 40 states with publicly funded prekindergarten programs, 11 now pay for them through their school formulas and not through individual line items in their budgets—a trend that’s emerged within...