By Andrew Ujifusa, Education Week, November 6, 2019
A study of 26 states and their preschool programs finds that as of roughly two years ago, a mere 1 percent of Latino children and just 4 percent of black children in those states were enrolled in "high-quality" state-backed early-learning opportunities.
That's one main conclusion from a new report from the Education Trust, an education civil rights advocacy group. "Young Learners, Missed Opportunities: Ensuring That Black and Latino Children Have Access to High-Quality State-Funded Preschool," which was released on Wednesday, also says that "no state with a substantial percentage of black or Latino children provides high access to a high-quality program for both 3- and 4-year-olds."
Another indicator that access is an acute concern, according to the organization, because black and Latino children were often underrepresented in state preschool programs. In 11 of the 26 states, Latinos accounted for a smaller share of enrollment in these programs than their share of the state population as a whole. The same was true in three of those 26 states for black children. And having access means more than just having enough seats, the Education Trust stresses; it means having affordable, strong options without having to jump through unfair barriers.
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