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Stressed and In Debt, Parents Say
"We Are Stretched Ridiculously Thin”

Delaware's Early Childhood Progress: Gains in the Last Eight Years

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in Child Care in FY26!

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Who We Are

First State Pre-K is a coalition of partners focused on expanding access to publicly funded high quality early care and education in Delaware. 
 
"Pre-K" in Delaware refers to child care programs for ages 0-5. 

Delaware has made significant progress in recent years, but we still have a long way to go. Today, only 1 in 5 children are enrolled in a publicly funded child care program. 

 

Why 0-5 Matters

High-quality pre-K is one of the best investments we can make. It’s linked to fuller, richer lives for kids—and their parents.

 

Yet Delaware ranks 42nd in nation in state-funded pre-K access for four-year-olds, and 24th among states in providing access to three-year-olds. Forty nine percent of all Delaware children are not served by any pre-k program today.

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Reduced Grade Retention

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Taxpayer Dollars Preserved

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HIGH-QUALITY

PRE-K

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Increased Graduation Rates

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Reduced Special Ed Placements

Decreased Crime and Incarceration

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Stronger Economy

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