New Hampshire has one of the worst early education systems in the country, new study shows

A new study comparing early education systems among the 50 states and Washington, D.C., puts New Hampshire at 48th, suggesting it has one of the worst systems in the country. 

Published Tuesday, the “States with the Best and Worst Early Education Systems” from WalletHub, a personal finance company, graded states based on access, quality, and resources and economic support for early education. Gov. Kelly Ayotte has cited the website’s high rankings for New Hampshire in healthcare and education in recent press releases. 

The District of Columbia, Arkansas, Maryland, New Jersey, and West Virginia placed in the top five, while Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Missouri, and Indiana placed in the bottom five. 

The ranking was constructed from a cumulative score based on the three categories. Access scores were calculated based on a state’s pre-K and Head Start enrollment rates and waitlists for childcare assistance. Quality was measured on quality benchmarks, income eligibility for state pre-K, and school safety plans. Resources and economic support scores were based on spending per child, state spending per child, Head Start enrollment, and monthly child care copayment fees. 

States that ranked the highest had high enrollment of 3- and 4-year-olds in pre-kindergarten, high state spending in early education, and easy access to quality care.

Following Wednesday’s Executive Council meeting, Ayotte said that despite New Hampshire’s low early education ranking, the state ranks high in K-12 education. She said she will continue to support early education, with hopes of improving early learning. 

“There are improvements we can make, and one of them starts with reading,” the governor said. “Certainly part of that is early education and giving children access early to the tools and the support they need to be early readers.”