The 2007-08 school year saw expansion in state-funded preschool programs, but economic hardships may force some states to curtail their spending or lower quality, according to a report from the National Institute for Early Education Research, based at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J.
From 2006-07 to 2007-08, enrollment increased by more than 108,000 children. More than 1.1 million children attended state-funded preschools in 2007-08, and 33 of 38 states reported growth in their preschool enrollments.
In most states, however, the report notes, preschool expenditures are discretionary.
“Even states that have not announced cuts to pre-K are considering contingency plans for enrollment cuts, reductions in program standards, and postponing plans for expansion,” it says.
