Best And Worst States For Pre-K Education: Where NJ Ranks In New Study

NEW JERSEY — New Jersey is one of the best states in the country for providing funding to quality pre-kindergarten education, a new WalletHub analysis indicated.

According to the National Education Association, children enrolled in early education programs are more likely to be academically prepared for their future school careers, and have both higher graduation rates and higher earning potential upon graduation.

And students who attend quality pre-K programs are less likely to commit crimes later in life, especially if they come from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, per a 2019 study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

A WalletHub study released Tuesday compares the 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine which states have the best pre-kindergarten programs. WalletHub analysts used 12 different metrics in their comparison, including the share of districts offering a state pre-K program, reported spending per child enrolled, and the number of pre-K quality benchmarks met.

New Jersey was fourth overall, with a score of 70.67.

WalletHub focused in on three key categories: Access, Quality, and Resources and Economic Support. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 “representing the highest quality of early education.”

States are then ranked based on that grade, and WalletHub also ranked states in the Access, Quality, and Resources and Economic Support categories (Click here for the full methodology).

Both New Jersey and the District of Columbia reported spending the most per child enrolled in preschool, the study found. New Jersey was also fifth in state Head Start Program spending per child enrolled in preschool, according to the study.

Here is how New Jersey measured up overall:

• New Jersey overall rank: 4 (total score of 70.67)
• Access rank: 12
• Quality rank: 9
• Resources and Economic Support rank: 1

Nationwide, the WalletHub study listed Arkansas as the top state for early education, with a total overall score of 76.10. Nebraska followed in the No. 2 spot with a total score of 72.25, and Maryland ranked No. 3 with a score of 71.89.

Education spending is not always a direct measure of quality, said Dr. Julia Kroeker, a professor of early childhood education at Florida SouthWestern State College cited in the study.

“Funds are required to have a quality education program, but often, funds are used on things that do not have a direct impact on the children,” she said.

Instead, Kroeker emphasized the need for small class sizes, and said pre-K children need “nurturing relationships with caring adults and the freedom to explore their surroundings and play.”