Public and private spending on preschool in the United States amounts to only 0.4 percent of our GDP, while Denmark, Spain, and Israel each spend at least 0.9 percent. The United States underinvests in preschool compared to most countries. Sweden and Estonia both have a ratio of 1 to 6, the best among all countries.
Academic powerhouse Finland has a teacher-to-child ratio of 1 to 11 in their early education programs, besting the United States’ average of 1 to 15 and demonstrating its strong commitment to providing high-quality preschool. The ratio of teachers to children is a key element of preschool quality. In fact, children in most OECD countries-including those in Estonia, Japan, and Poland-begin preschool by at least age 3. Denmark typically enrolls children from age 1, and Belgium at about age 2 and a half. Most children in OECD countries, however, begin early childhood education much earlier. The age children start preschoolĮven when children do attend preschool in the United States, they usually don’t start until age 4. In the United States that number is barely 50 percent. Seven countries including France, Norway, and Italy ensure that at least 90 percent of all 3-year-olds have access to preschool. What’s more, Mexico is accomplishing this despite being significantly poorer than the United States: Its per-capita gross domestic product, or GDP, is less than a third of ours. Mexico, our neighbor to the south, may need to improve preschool quality, for example, but it has committed to enrolling nearly 100 percent of its 4-year-olds in preschool. Our close ally the United Kingdom also enrolls at least 97 percent of its 4-year-olds in preschool.Įven some countries that don’t top the global rankings on international achievement tests are outperforming the United States in preschool enrollment.
Japan, which outperformed the United States by more than 40 points on the most recent international test of fourth-grade math, enrolls nearly all of its 4-year-olds in preschool. Moreover, top-performing countries are outpacing the United States in preschool participation for 4-year-olds. We rank 26th in access to preschool for 4-year-olds and 24th on access for 3-year-olds. Only 69 percent of 4-year-old American children are enrolled in early childhood education. The United States has a large preschool access gap. Given the importance of early childhood education to future student success, the United States must take these rankings seriously. These rankings do not befit the United States. 21st in total investment in early childhood education relative to country wealth.15th in teacher-to-child ratio in early childhood-education programs.22nd in the typical age that children begin early childhood-education programs.24th in preschool participation for 3-year-olds.26th in preschool participation for 4-year-olds.On almost every element, the United States ranks behind most of the other countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD. To put it plainly, the United States is getting beat when it comes to preschool. If the United States is to train a world-class workforce, we have to catch up to the rest of the world on pre-K. The numbers below show how far behind the United States is on preschool and make it evident that we need to implement the president’s plan. His plan would invest $75 billion in high-quality preschool, helping our nation catch up with other countries. In February 2013, however, President Barack Obama put forth a bold plan to significantly expand access to preschool. Compared to other countries, however, the United States lags far behind on preschool, trailing a number of other countries in enrollment, investment, and quality. See also: Infographic: We’re Getting Beat on Preschool Interactive Map: The United States Is Getting Beat on PreschoolĮarly childhood education and school readiness is essential to preparing our children to succeed in an increasingly competitive global economy.
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