Federal CRDC data shows Pre-K enrollment up 12% while K-12 declines and suspensions rise

The latest federal Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) reveals a significant shift in the composition of American public school enrollment: while 1.5 million children were enrolled in public preschool programs in the 2023-24 school year, a 12% increase from 2021-22, K-12 enrollment declined by nearly 1%. This divergence highlights a specific policy outcome where state investments in early childhood education are outpacing the overall growth of the...