A new study from researchers at the Urban Institute and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia examined the impact of public preschool for 3-year-olds (Pre-K3) on early education outcomes in Washington, DC. The study found that Pre-K3 students were more likely to enroll and remain enrolled for at least three years in DC public elementary schools than 3-year-olds not participating in the program. They were also more likely to be identified for special education services.
While existing research has established the importance of preschool for 4-year-olds, programs for 3-year-olds have received little attention, despite their growing popularity. In the 2022-23 school year, 79% of 3-year-olds in Washington, DC are enrolled in public preschool programs, at a per-child spending rate of $22,207, the highest in the nation. Using data from random enrollment lotteries and school enrollment records, the study compared outcomes for students who were matched into preschool programs with those who were not.
Pre-K3 participants were up to 16.8 percentage points more likely to enroll in DC public kindergarten and up to 35 percentage points more likely to progress through pre-K4 to kindergarten. This effect was particularly pronounced for students from low-income families, communities of color, and disadvantaged neighborhoods. Although their primary focus was on kindergarten outcomes, the researchers also found that pre-K3 students were more likely to remain in the public school system through at least second grade. Additionally, pre-K3 students were 17.8 percentage points less likely to transfer between pre-K4 and kindergarten, likely reflecting families’ preference to remain in the same school if admission is guaranteed under the DC public school lottery system. However, the researchers found no effect on kindergarten repetition, which they noted is typically very rare in DC.
The study also found that Pre-K3 students were up to 11.5 percentage points more likely to be identified for special education services in kindergarten, suggesting that earlier engagement with the education system may lead to earlier identification of special needs. This effect was particularly pronounced among students from communities of color, although the researchers cautioned that the sample sizes for these groups were small.
While the researchers acknowledge some limitations of their study, including that it reflects the outcomes of existing preschool programs and may not be applicable to new early education programs, they conclude that investing in education starting at age 3 has the potential to have far-reaching benefits for students, families, and school systems, including promoting children’s educational stability, addressing declining public school enrollment, and alleviating child care shortages.
