children playing

Brief Report: Funding cuts to state-funded prekindergarten programs in FY10 & 11

Printer-friendly versionSend by emailPDF version
Author: 
Epstein, Dale and Barnett, Steve
Format: 
Report
Publication Date: 
11 Aug 2010
AVAILABILITY

The National Institute for Early Education Research has been carefully tracking the effects of the "great recession" on state-funded preschool programs. As we documented in the State of Preschool 2009 Yearbook, although state expenditures for pre-K increased across all 38 states with programs, the rate of growth of spending had declined from previous years. Four states cut spending by a total of $4.3 million in FY 2009.

In FY 2010 and FY 2011 the effects of the recession on prekindergarten have greatly increased. We estimate that $338 million in state funding alone could be cut from prekindergarten programs across fiscal years 2010 and 2011. As many programs depend on local funding as well as state funding, total cuts of government funds likely exceed state cuts. During FY 2010, $248.3 million was cut from 16 states with pre-K initiatives. Of those states that cut expenditures in FY 2010, two states (Massachusetts and South Carolina) partially restored funding in FY 2011 by a combined $5.6 million. In FY 2011 another $89.6 million is proposed to be cut from state-funded prekindergarten program appropriations. If the FY 2010 pattern is followed, cuts could be even greater by year end. State-by-state information on the amount of each cut in FY 2010 and FY 2011 is provided below.

Region: