Reviewed by: Patience Itson
Alabama ranks 6th best early childhood education in the nation
As the first day of school is fast approaching, we have some impressive news to share about our state’s education system. According to a study by Wallethub, Alabama ranks 6th for best early childhood education in the US. Keep reading for the details.
#6 in foundational learning
Pre-K education offers children the chance to get a head start and be academically prepared for their future classes. According to the National Education Association, students have higher graduation rates, higher earning potential and are less likely to repeat a grade than those who are not enrolled in early childhood education.
WalletHub states that while high-quality elementary schools, high schools and colleges are important factors when choosing where to live, Pre-K education is just as important and is often overlooked.
Wondering what states have the best early childhood education opportunities? You’re in luck, Alabama is 6th overall, beating out states like Vermont, Oregon and West Virginia.
How do we stack up?
Source: WalletHub
WalletHub compared 50 US states and the District of Columbia across three key dimensions to determine the rankings—access, quality and resources + economic support. Within each of these dimensions, they broke it down further into 12 key metrics, including:
- Share of school districts that offer a state Pre-K program
- Number of Pre-K quality benchmarks met
- Total reported spending per child enrolled in Pre-K
Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 being the highest quality of early education. Each state and the District’s weighted average across all metrics were used to calculate its overall score. Here’s how the top 10 states stack up in each category:
| Overall Rank | State | Total Score | Access | Quality | Resources & Economic Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas | 74.66 | 4 | 1 | 16 |
| 2 | Nebraska | 70.59 | 5 | 2 | 24 |
| 3 | Maryland | 69.85 | 14 | 2 | 6 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 68.00 | 1 | 19 | 26 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | 63.45 | 27 | 6 | 2 |
| 6 | Alabama | 63.11 | 12 | 6 | 11 |
| 7 | Oregon | 61.32 | 13 | 20 | 1 |
| 8 | Vermont | 61.07 | 2 | 44 | 21 |
| 9 | West Virginia | 60.88 | 8 | 8 | 35 |
| 10 | New Mexico | 58.45 | 7 | 37 | 4 |
For a full list of metrics used to determine the ranking, check out the study results.
Read more about Alabama’s impressive rankings:
- The 25 best high schools in Alabama, according to U.S. News & World Report
- Huntsville named #1 Best Place to Live in America by U.S. News
- Birmingham tops the list in Best U.S. cities for families
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