Meaningful Investments in Pre-K: Estimating the Per-Child Costs of Quality Programs

Policy makers around the country, seeing the far-reaching benefits of quality pre-kindergarten (pre-k) for three, four, and five-year-olds, are committing substantial resources to expanding these programs. They are beginning to recognize that public investments in early learning can be as important as those made in elementary education. Positive outcomes of pre-k investments are especially great when participating programs uphold high-quality standards, including high teacher-to-child ratios and small class sizes, and when they employ experienced, well-compensated teachers with good credentials.