Connecticut fell short of some key goals for public pre-K standards in the year leading into the pandemic, according to a yearly national report.
The state met half the quality benchmarks set by the National Institute for Early Education Research — including small class sizes and teachers with specialized training.
The institute looked at numbers from the 2019-2020 school year — which covers the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The institute said the pandemic made the state’s existing problem worse.
Connecticut spent less per child in 2020 than any year since 2002 — despite being in the top 10 for per-student spending nationally. Connecticut is also in the top 10 for access to pre-K for 3-year-olds.
