See the States With the Best—And the Worst—Early Education Systems, Mapped

Parents might pay attention to the best-ranked colleges for their kids to attend or the neighborhoods with the best school district for kindergarten through high school. But a student's access to early education before kindergarten even starts can also be very valuable.

Access to strong educational resources early in a child's life can lead to long-term success later, according to data from the National Education Association. Early childhood education can better prepare students for later learning achievements, lead to a reduction in the need to repeat a grade, and make it more likely for students to graduate from high school and find professional success.

But not all states are the same when it comes to accessing great early education and ensuring students begin their learning journey before kindergarten. Here are the states that do it best and the states that are falling behind, according to data collected by WalletHub.

The Highest Ranking

The District of Columbia topped WalletHub's list of best places for children to access early education. The district ranked first for access to early education and first for resources and economic support. One bright spot was student enrollment, which has been increasing rapidly this decade as more students utilize access to early education resources.

D.C. also spends the most money per child enrolled in pre-school, with more than $27,000 annually per child, giving them access to resources and educational tools that help them succeed.

Arkansas came in second place, buoyed by a high rank for quality of education and access to early education resources. It also ranks high for enrollment growth, as more students are able to attend early education programs and reach academic goals.

Like the other top spots on the list, third-place Maryland got a boost from its increase in student enrollment in early education programs. The state spends almost $12,000 annually on each student in preschool to make sure they have the resources they need. The state also ranked second in the nation for the quality of its early education and third for resources and economic support for students.

New Jersey came in fourth place in the rankings, boosted by being the second-best state for resources and economic support for students, while fifth-place West Virginia had a good showing for access to early education and quality of education.

The top 10 states for best early education include:

1. District of Columbia
2. Arkansas
3. Maryland
4. New Jersey
5. West Virginia
6. South Carolina
7. Vermont
8. New Mexico
9. Georgia
10. Nebraska

The Lowest Ranking

Students in Indiana are at a disadvantage when it comes to early education, with the Hoosier State topping the rankings for states with the worst early education programs. This ranking was determined by ranking as the worst state in the country for access to early education programs and the second-worst state for resources and economic support. It also is among the top five worst states when it comes to the share of 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds enrolled in early education programs.

Second-place Missouri was also plagued by low rankings in some categories reviewed by WalletHub. While the state is in the middle of the pack for access to early education, it ranked in last place of all states for resources and economic success. It also had the fourth-worst ranking for quality of education. North Dakota tied with Missouri in the quality of education, leading to a third-worst overall ranking for early education.

The top 10 worst states for early education include:

1. Indiana
2. Missouri
3. North Dakota
4. New Hampshire
5. Massachusetts
6. Minnesota
7. Montana
8. Idaho
9. Hawaii
10. Alaska