Tennessee Ranked High for Pre-K Quality and Access

Nashville, TN – Tennessee’s pre-K program was, for the third consecutive year,
ranked among the top states in the nation today for the quality of its design
by the National Institute for Early Education Research. NIEER’s yearbook ranks
all states on the percentage of students served in pre-K, resources spent per
child, and the quality benchmarks required for the program.

“Dollar for dollar pre-K is one of the best investments we can make in the
future of our children,” Governor Phil Bredesen said. “There is a growing demand
in our communities to provide this quality program to more families. This report
confirms that the pre-K program we are building in Tennessee is high quality
and beneficial to our public education system.”

The hallmark of Tennessee’s pre-K program has been the rigorous quality standards
for operation that NIEER grades all state programs on. For the third year in
a row, Tennessee met 9 out of 10 quality benchmarks. Only 2 states meet all
ten. Examples of the benchmarks for quality include: a licensed teacher with
an endorsement in early learning, comprehensive standards to guide instruction
in the classroom, maximum class size of 20 students, and a low 1:10 teacher
student ratio.

Tennessee was also highlighted for making the most significant gains in access
for 4-year-old children- a 52% increase in the number of children served. However,
Tennessee still ranks 20th in the nation for availability of pre-K services
for 4-year-olds. In financial resources dedicated to pre-K, Tennessee is ranked
13th with an average per student expenditure of $4,168.

“Parents across Tennessee are asking for more pre-K because they see it is
a high quality educational experience,” Acting Education Commissioner Tim Webb
said. “These programs provide all children with the tools they need to succeed
in kindergarten through graduation.”

Governor Bredesen’s pre-K program has expanded access to pre-K from 148 pilot
classes in 2004 to 934 classes serving more than 17,000 children today. A recent
department survey has found that districts hope to expand their access by a
combined 306 classes next year.

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.
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