Using data-informed decisions paired with bipartisan support for early care and education, state policymakers achieved significant, yet specific, systems-level changes in 2022 amid evolving challenges in the education systems in their states. During 2022 legislative sessions, at least 345 bills were introduced, with 65 enacted in 30 states.
Enrollment is recovering for pre-K and kindergarten, yet the percentage of children ages three and four enrolled in pre-K is 47% nationally and ranges from 31-63% at the state level. Despite some rebounding achievement in second and third grade literacy and math, recent National Assessment of Educational Progress data show that nine-year-olds’ national testing averages are down 7% in math and 5% in reading following interrupted instruction. Opportunity gaps and other systemic failures led to larger declines in test scores for students of color. Lastly, considerable funding was infused into states’ pre-K systems, but the prospect of sustained federal funding is in doubt.
Despite these ups and downs, state policymakers have continued to work on legislation to support young students and the workforce that supports them. This chart highlights select trends:
Select Trends in 2022 P-3 Legislation
To illustrate state legislative activity, we elevate some innovative state examples.
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- Finance. Created in 2021, the Vermont Child Care and Early Childhood Education Financing Study will release its findings in January 2023. The end product will be a comprehensive fiscal analysis of the child care and early childhood education system; including an estimate of the total cost of high-quality care for infants, toddlers, preschool and school-age children in Vermont and how any funding gap should be financed.
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- Governance. Legislation in Rhode Island created an early childhood governance working group, composed of multiple cabinet-level agency heads, to develop recommendations addressing the coordination and administration of programs and services; the fiscal, governance and organizational structures; and implementation of early childhood data systems by Oct. 1, 2023.
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- Literacy and Numeracy. Utah S.B. 127 addresses early literacy outcomes comprehensively, including providing statewide and regional support in literacy coaching and professional development; establishing a panel with expertise in the science of reading and instruction; incentivizing partnerships with private businesses and nonprofits to provide personal books for home use; leveraging community resources; and addressing teacher preparation and professional development.
The Alabama Numeracy Act aims to improve the mathematics proficiency of elementary students in a multi-pronged approach: convening a statewide taskforce; conducting diagnostics, screenings and other interventions; and supporting educators through coaching and other means.
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- Workforce. In Hawaii, S.B. 2700 creates an ECE workforce repository to better understand characteristics of the workforce, such as wages, years of experience and training hours. This information will be aggregated and used to report to the Legislature as well as to inform policy recommendations.
In addition to these specific trends, Alaska HB 114 takes a wide range of approaches to support young students, including expanding access to the state’s preschool program, focusing on literacy development and cementing a statewide virtual education consortium. This makes virtual education and professional development resources available to students and teachers in the state.
Lastly, as part of the larger birth-to-age-eight development continuum, state policymakers have spent considerable energy on connecting to birth-to-age-five issues, such as child care, early intervention and workforce, tallying over 900 bills introduced this year. Stay tuned to ECS for more comprehensive coverage in 2023!
