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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
Tell Lawmakers to Invest
in Child Care in FY26!
Fill out this interest form for speaking at JFC, we can help!
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.
Reduced Grade Retention


Taxpayer Dollars Preserved
+
+
HIGH-QUALITY
PRE-K
=
Increased Graduation Rates

+

Reduced Special Ed Placements
Decreased Crime and Incarceration

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Stronger Economy
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