By the numbers on early education: a data bank on education trends for district leaders.

In the early 1970s, less than 20% of all kindergartners attended a full-day program. In the 1998-99 school year, 56% of all kindergartners attended a full-day program.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, The Condition of Education 2004

Total state spending for state-funded pre-kindergarten exceeded 2.4 billion in 2001-02.

Source: National Institute for Early Education Research

Race/Ethnicity

Percent of kindergarten students
enrolled in a full-day program

White        49%
Black        79%
Hispanic     46%
Asian        40%

Source: NCES, 2004

Note: Table made from pie chart.

PER-CHILD SPENDING

National average spent per child on state-funded:

Preschool   $3,455
K-12        $8,733

Source: NIEER

Enrollment

Percentage of children ages 3-4
enrolled in school

2002    55%
2000    52%
1995    49%
1990    44%
1985    39%
1980    37%
1975    32%
1970    21%

Source NCES, 2004

Class Size

Average number of
kindergarten students

Full-day     20
Half-day     19

Source: NCES, 2004

TRENDS
Number (in thousands) of children ages 4-6
enrolled in kindergarten

       Total   Full-day   Half-day
1977   3,160        868      2,292
1980   3,143        949      2,194
1983   3,301      1,065      2,236
1986   3,914      1,555      2,359
1989   3,809      1,518      2,292
1992   4,036      1,763      2,273
1995   3,815      1,954      1,860
1998   3,776      2,226      1,550
2001   3,713      2,241      1,472

Source LACES 2004

Location

Percent of public elementary schools with pre-kindergarten classes

                Northeast   Southeast   Central   West

Full-day only       7          36          4        8
Half-day only       19         7           24       23

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