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A university-based research institute says the COVID-19 pandemic could undermine Wisconsin’s pre-K education standards and funding.
According to a new report by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), Wisconsin ranks among the country’s leaders in 4-year-old pre-K enrollment, but just 35th in state spending per child.
Wisconsin met just three of ten minimum standards for high-quality preschool education.
“Wisconsin is a leader in pre-K access, further increasing enrollment this year,” said Dr. Steven Barnett, NIEER’s senior co-director and founder. “But spending and quality are low and additional resources must be invested to improve program quality across the state.”
NIEER warns the gap could further widen if funds for preschool education are reduced because of COVID-19.
NIEER is a non-profit research institute in association with Rutgers Graduate School of Education.