The number of children, age four or otherwise eligible for kindergarten in the following school year, enrolled in publicly funded prekindergarten programs, expressed as a percentage of all 4-year-olds.
Early emphasis on reading and social skills prepares children to succeed later in their education.
In 2021, 23% of the Mid-Hudson Valley region's 4-year-olds were enrolled in publicly funded prekindergarten programs, down 3 percentage point from 2011, but similar to the 22% rate for the state (excluding NYC). Participation in 2021 was highest in Orange County, with 30% of 4-year-olds enrolled, followed by Sullivan with 29% and Columbia with 27%. In recent years, no Putnam County districts have participated in the state's preK program.
Among local school districts that participate in publicly funded preK (some do not), participation ranged from 14% of 4-year-olds in the Port Jervis district to 100% in the Hunter-Tannersville district.
Due to changes in the source of the data, results from 2017 onward may differ slightly from previous years. Prekindergarten enrollment through 2016 is as reported in New York State Education Department's (NYSED) School Report Card database. Enrollment for 2017 and onwards is provided by the NYSED's Office of Early Learning. Figures reflect children in free prekindergarten programs provided by school districts or community organizations; they do not include children attending private preschool or federally funded Head Start. In 1997, New York State enacted a law providing public support for prekindergarten, effective 1998.
| 2011 | 2012 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | 26% | 27% | 25% | 27% | 29% | 28% | 29% | 27% | 28% | 23% | |||||||||
| Columbia | 20% | 21% | 27% | 30% | 32% | 24% | 32% | 27% | 20% | 27% | |||||||||
| Dutchess | 12% | 13% | 11% | 14% | 18% | 17% | 17% | 11% | 16% | 14% | |||||||||
| Greene | 34% | 39% | 33% | 33% | 30% | 36% | 33% | 30% | 26% | 22% | |||||||||
| Orange | 37% | 37% | 35% | 39% | 39% | 39% | 39% | 37% | 37% | 30% | |||||||||
| Putnam | 4% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | |||||||||
| Sullivan | 40% | 43% | 40% | 39% | 39% | 37% | 37% | 36% | 38% | 29% | |||||||||
| Ulster | 24% | 24% | 24% | 22% | 27% | 26% | 30% | 32% | 35% | 27% | |||||||||
| NYS (excluding NYC) | 37% | 37% | 36% | 37% | 38% | 25% | 25% | 25% | 27% | 22% | |||||||||
| Columbia School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Dutchess School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Greene School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Orange School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Putnam School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Sullivan School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ulster School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | 2012 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | 3,549 | 3,506 | 3,178 | 3,392 | 3,594 | 3,451 | 3,529 | 3,354 | 3,484 | 2,966 | |||||||||
| Columbia | 124 | 125 | 145 | 170 | 183 | 132 | 161 | 140 | 102 | 135 | |||||||||
| Dutchess | 375 | 400 | 340 | 405 | 510 | 466 | 462 | 307 | 447 | 395 | |||||||||
| Greene | 160 | 162 | 147 | 148 | 133 | 144 | 145 | 123 | 100 | 91 | |||||||||
| Orange | 2,017 | 1,983 | 1,807 | 1,951 | 1,988 | 1,947 | 1,952 | 1,954 | 1,924 | 1,638 | |||||||||
| Putnam | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| Sullivan | 380 | 390 | 344 | 332 | 346 | 341 | 318 | 326 | 349 | 280 | |||||||||
| Ulster | 451 | 446 | 395 | 386 | 434 | 421 | 491 | 504 | 562 | 427 | |||||||||
| NYS (excluding NYC) | 49,100 | 48,586 | 45,628 | 47,034 | 48,125 | 48,180 | 47,794 | 48,777 | 51,743 | 41,122 | |||||||||
| Columbia School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Dutchess School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Greene School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Orange School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Putnam School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Sullivan School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ulster School Districts | |||||||||||||||||||
| INDICATORS | TREND | STATE |
|---|---|
| Preschoolers Receiving Special Education Services | Increasing |
| Prekindergarten Participation | Decreasing |
| Students Receiving Special Education Services | Increasing |
| Per-Student Spending | Increasing |
| Student Performance on Grade 4 English, by Economic Background | Not Applicable |
| Student Performance on Grade 4 English, by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
| Student Performance on Grade 4 Math, by Economic Background | Not Applicable |
| Student Performance on Grade 4 Math, by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
| High School Cohort Graduation Rate | Increasing |
| High School Cohort Dropout Rate | Decreasing |
| High School GED Rate | Decreasing |
| Plans of High School Graduates | Not Applicable |
| Education Levels of Adults | Not Applicable |
| Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
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