Question

provide several reasons as to why you think the United States is one of the only developed countries that does not have Universal Early Childhood programs

Answer 1

The United States has even provided universal public preschool before, for a few years during World War II. That program ended in 1946. Since then, a growing body of research has demonstrated the value of high-quality preschool for both children and their communities. Nearly every industrialized country has recognized that value and begun offering a version of universal public preschool for its children. Not the U.S.

On every level—local, state, and federal—this country invests little to nothing in the first five years of a child’s life, putting it decades and dollars behind the rest of the developed world.The United States underinvests in preschool compared to most countries. Public and private spending on preschool in the United States amounts to only 0.4 percent of our GDP, while Denmark, Spain, and Israel each spend at least 0.9 percent. Increasing spending on preschool to even 0.6 percent of our GDP, which would put us on par with countries such as Germany and Poland, would result in an additional $30 billion per year in early childhood education. This would be more than enough to enroll all 3- and 4-year-olds in high-quality preschool.