Illinois Preschool Expansion Stalls as Other States Pull Ahead, National Report Finds
Why It Matters
Illinois families seeking publicly funded preschool options may face continued limited access as the state’s early childhood education expansion loses momentum. A new national report shows that Illinois — despite previous progress — is falling behind peer states in preschool enrollment and funding growth, raising questions about how lawmakers prioritize government spending on early education.
With a flat budget heading into the next fiscal year and dozens of other states ramping up their own programs, Illinois risks losing ground it worked years to gain — and taxpayers may ultimately bear the cost of delayed action through greater demand for remedial education programs later on.
What Happened
The National Institute for Early Education Research released a report in 2025 finding that Illinois’ rate of growth in preschool enrollment and funding has slowed significantly, even as the state touts recent expansions under Gov. JB Pritzker’s Smart Start Illinois initiative.
Smart Start Illinois, launched in 2023, aims to expand publicly funded preschool access to low-income children through programs like the Early Childhood Block Grant. In January 2025, Pritzker announced the addition of more than 5,000 seats to the program, bringing the total to 11,000 new seats since the initiative began. Despite those gains, the report found Illinois ranked 22nd in state funding and 20th in 4-year-old enrollment out of all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
The General Assembly allocated an additional $75 million for Early Childhood Block Grants in fiscal year 2025 but held funding flat for the current fiscal year ending in June. That budget freeze is now being cited as a key reason the state’s momentum has stalled.
By the Numbers
83,000 — Total children enrolled in Illinois preschool programs during the 2024–25 school year, up more than 1,000 from the prior year.
4th — Illinois’ national ranking for 3-year-old preschool enrollment, though experts note the ranking reflects low competition rather than exceptional performance.
$6,641 — State spending per child over the past two years, reversing a decline seen from 2021 to 2023.
7% — Total increase in state preschool spending from the 2023–24 school year to 2024–25, adjusted for inflation, equating to roughly 5% per child.
8 of 10 — Quality benchmarks set by the institute that Illinois met during the 2024–25 school year. The state fell short on staff professional development and assistant teacher degree requirements.
Zoom Out
Illinois is not alone in seeing slowed growth. According to the institute’s report, enrollment and funding nationally reached record highs during the 2024–25 school year, but the pace of expansion slowed compared to the year prior. California has led a major surge in state-funded preschool enrollment, drawing national attention as a model for rapid expansion.
Of the 44 states and Washington, D.C. that operate state-funded preschool programs, only six met all 10 quality benchmarks set by the institute. The benchmarks — which cover areas such as teacher training, class size, staff-to-student ratios, and curriculum standards — are evaluated on a yes-or-no basis, which the report’s authors acknowledged can be imprecise.
“It’s worth looking at some of these to see, is your state close?” said report co-author Steve Barnett, noting that legislative awareness often depends on outside advocates bringing these findings to policymakers’ attention.
Separately, Illinois has faced other pressures on its education workforce. State officials and transportation providers have been working to ease a school bus driver shortage affecting districts across the state, adding to a broader set of challenges confronting Illinois schools. Meanwhile, faculty at the University of Illinois Springfield recently went on strike following failed contract negotiations, underscoring tensions in Illinois’ broader public education system.
What’s Next
Beginning in July 2026 — fiscal year 2027 — preschool grant programs will be consolidated under Illinois’ newly created Department of Early Childhood. Lawmakers are working to finalize the upcoming state budget by May 31.
Whether legislators will prioritize increased funding for preschool in that budget remains an open question. Report co-author Barnett warned that flat funding is incompatible with achieving universal access. “If you have a universal pre-K program, and you’re flat funding it, you’re never going to get there,” he said. “If it’s going to happen, (legislators) may have to prioritize it over other things in their budget.”
For Illinois families in so-called “preschool deserts,” the outcome of budget negotiations this spring will have direct consequences on whether affordable, quality early education remains within reach.