A new study by researchers from the Urban Institute and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia examined the impact of public pre-kindergarten for 3-year-olds (Pre-K3) on early education outcomes in Washington, D.C. The study found that Pre-K3 students were more likely than 3-year-olds who didn’t participate in the program to enroll in a D.C. public elementary school and stay for at least three years. And they were more likely to be identified for special-education services.
While existing studies have established the importance of pre-kindergarten for 4-year-olds, little attention has been given to 3-year-old programs despite their growing popularity. In the 2022-23 school year, 79 percent of D.C.’s 3-year-olds were enrolled in public pre-kindergarten, with a per-child spending rate of $22,207, the highest in the nation. This study, which used data from randomized admissions lotteries and school enrollment records, compared outcomes between students who were matched to a Pre-K3 program and those who were not.
Pre-K3 participants were up to 16.8 percentage points more likely to enroll in a D.C. public kindergarten and up to 35 percentage points more likely to progress through Pre-K4 and into kindergarten. The effects were especially pronounced for students from lower-income households, communities of color, and disadvantaged wards. While the primary focus was on kindergarten outcomes, 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 switch schools between Pre-K4 and kindergarten, likely reflecting families’ preference to stay in the same school when guaranteed admission through the D.C. public school lottery system. Yet, the researchers found no impact on kindergarten retention, which they note is typically very rare in D.C.
The study also revealed 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 quicker identification of special needs. This effect was particularly strong among students from communities of color, though the researchers cautioned that the sample size for these groups was smaller.
While the researchers acknowledged several limitations of their research, including the fact that the study reflects outcomes from a well-established preschool program that may not be applicable to new early education programs, they conclude that investing in education starting at age 3 can have far-reaching benefits for students, families, and school systems, including promoting educational stability for children, addressing declining public school enrollment, and alleviating the child care shortage.