MN Hast 5th-Worst Early Education System: Report

ST. PAUL, MN — Minnesota has the fifth-worst early education system in the U.S., according to a report published Tuesday from WalletHub. The reason is largely due to how relatively few 3 and 4-year-olds are enrolled in PreK programs.

WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 12 metrics to determine the best early education systems in America. The metrics include the share of school districts that offer a state pre-K program, the number of pre-K quality benchmarks met, and total reported spending per child enrolled in pre-K.

Quality of Early Education in Minnesota (1=Best; 25=Avg.):

• Overall Rank: 47th
• 39th – Share of 3- and 4-year-olds Enrolled in pre-K, pre-K Special Education, and Head Start
• 28th – Income Requirement for State Pre-K Eligibility
• 28th – Total Reported Spending per Child Enrolled in Preschool
• 34th – Share of School Districts that Offer State Pre-K Program
• 34th – Monthly Child Care Co-Payment Fees as a Percent of Family Income

The five best early educations systems, per WalletHub, are found in:

1. Arkansas
2. District of Columbia
3. Nebraska
4. Maryland
5. Oregon

The five worst are in:

47. Minnesota
48. Massachusetts
49. Missouri
50. North Dakota
51. Indiana