Early Learning in the United States

These state fact sheets provide data on access to affordable child care for families, compensation for child care providers, and economic benefits of increased public investment in early learning.

Three children play together at Little Flowers Early Childhood and Development Center in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood in Baltimore on Monday, January 11, 2021. (Getty Images/Matt Roth)

The Center for American Progress produces annual state fact sheets that overview the current early childhood landscape and opportunities to expand access to quality child care and early learning for families across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Sustained public investment in early learning would create opportunities for states to build systems that support working families while compensating early educators for their essential work.

In this series

Compact View

Early Learning in the United States: 2021 Fact Sheet

Early Learning in the United States: 2021

These state fact sheets provide data on access to affordable child care for families, compensation for child care providers, and economic benefits of increased public investment in early learning.

MK Falgout

Early Learning in the United States: 2019 Fact Sheet

Early Learning in the United States: 2019

These fact sheets outline the current state of early learning and opportunities for improvement in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Steven Jessen-Howard, Simon Workman

Early Learning in the United States: 2018 Fact Sheet
Preschoolers engage in a toy sharing learning exercise at an early childhood education program in Los Angeles, March 2013. (Getty/Los Angeles Times/Lawrence K. Ho)

Early Learning in the United States: 2018

These fact sheets explore the status of early childhood programs in each state and highlight the need to invest in programs that support child development, allow parents to work, and strengthen state economies.

Simon Workman, Steven Jessen-Howard

Early Learning in the United States: 2017 Fact Sheet

Early Learning in the United States: 2017

By preparing children for school and enabling parents to work, high-quality child care and preschool are a necessity for children, families, and the economy. These fact sheets explore the status of early learning programs in states and the need for state investment in these programs.

Simon Workman, Jessica Troe

Early Learning in the United States Fact Sheet
Children climb in the playground at a preschool in Hinesburg, Vermont, July 7, 2016. (AP/Lisa Rathke)

Early Learning in the United States

Because high-quality child care and preschool prepare children for school and enable parents to work, they are necessities for children, families, and the economy, and state and federal policymakers must work to improve the U.S. early learning landscape.

Jessica Troe

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