S.C. preschool enrollment grows as funding shrinks

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South Carolina ranked No. 11 in the nation in enrollment of children in public pre-K programs despite ranking just 38th in state spending per child, according to a new report.

The State of Preschool 2017 report showed S.C. enrollment increased to include 41% of 4-year-olds in 2017. The total of 24,079 enrolled children represented an increase of 543 from 2016, though state spending per child decreased from $3,319 to $2,970.

The report also found that South Carolina met seven of 10 National Institute for Early Education Research standards. The state’s full profile can be found here (.pdf).

“While South Carolina's early childhood programs continue to grow, only 36% of children enter kindergarten ready,” State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman said in a news release. “We remain committed to strengthening the quality of our programs and collaborating with parents and communities as our most valued partners in their children’s education.” 

South Carolina has two state-funded preschool programs: the Education Improvement Act Child Development Program and the public-private Child Early Reading Development and Education Program. Both are administered through the South Carolina Department of Education’s Office of Early Learning and Literacy.

Enrollment in state-funded preschool programs nationwide has more than doubled since 2002 to more than 1.5 million children, the report found. However, funding has failed to keep pace, with spending per child decreasing when adjusted for inflation.