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Explore national- and state-level data for hundreds of health, environmental and socioeconomic measures, including background information about each measure. Use features on this page to find measures; view subpopulations, trends and rankings; and download and share content.
Florida Value:
Percentage of children ages 3-4 who are enrolled in nursery school, preschool or kindergarten
Florida Rank:
Percentage of children ages 3-4 who are enrolled in nursery school, preschool or kindergarten
90.1% - 51.3%
51.2% - 49.2%
49.1% - 45.8%
45.7% - 41.5%
41.4% - 26.8%
US Value: 48.5 %
Top State(s): Connecticut, New Jersey: 65.6 %
Bottom State(s): North Dakota: 26.8 %
Definition: Percentage of children ages 3-4 who are enrolled in nursery school, preschool or kindergarten
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 1-Year Dataset, 2023
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 1-Year Dataset, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2026.
For many, the path to higher educational attainment starts with early childhood education. Evidence shows that early childhood education, along with higher educational attainment, contributes to better health and promotes health equity. Typically, children who attend early childhood education programs have reduced rates of teen births and teen crime, improved standardized test scores and increased high school graduation rates.
The 2023-2024 school year set new record highs in state-funded preschool enrollment and funding. However, a significant proportion of these educational programs are failing to meet minimum quality standards, and some states have further reduced their educational standards and requirements.
Investing in early childhood education yields an estimated $4.19 for every dollar spent, primarily in the form of higher earnings.
The percentage of children ages 3-4 enrolled in early childhood education is higher among:
Strategies to increase enrollment in early childhood education include:
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends implementing high-quality, center-based early childhood education programs. These programs promote health equity and are associated with narrower educational achievement gaps, especially for children in low-income or racial/ethnic minority communities. For example, Head Start programs are federally-funded services that promote school readiness in children from low-income families. Children participating in Head Start programs are more likely to pursue and complete higher education.
A 2022 report from the National Council on State Legislatures provides a summary of early childhood education legislation enacted at the state level. The report addresses four primary areas: childcare subsidies and quality, workforce development, governance, and school readiness. It also reviews paid family and medical leave legislation, home visiting programs and mental health.
Healthy People 2030 is developing an objective to increase the proportion of children who participate in high-quality early childhood education programs.
Barnett, W. Steven, and Jason T. Hustedt. Improving Public Financing for Early Learning Programs. Preschool Policy Brief Issue 23. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research, April 2011. https://nieer.org/sites/default/files/2023-08/24-1.pdf.
Community Preventive Services Task Force. “Recommendation for Center-Based Early Childhood Education to Promote Health Equity.” Journal of Public Health Management and Practice 22, no. 5 (September 2016): E9–10. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000000354.
Friedman-Krauss, Allison H., W. Steven Barnett, Katherine S. Hodges, Karin A. Garver, Jennifer K. Duer, G. G. Weisenfeld, and Jessica Siegel. The State of Preschool 2024: State Preschool Yearbook. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research, 2024. https://nieer.org/sites/default/files/2025-04/2024NIEERStateofPreschool-1.pdf.
Hahn, Robert A., W. Steven Barnett, John A. Knopf, Benedict I. Truman, Robert L. Johnson, Jonathan E. Fielding, Carles Muntaner, Camara Phyllis Jones, Mindy T. Fullilove, and Pete C. Hunt. “Early Childhood Education to Promote Health Equity: A Community Guide Systematic Review.” Journal of Public Health Management and Practice 22, no. 5 (2016): E1–8. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000000378.
National Center for Education Statistics. “School Enrollment Rates of Young Children.” In The Condition of Education 2024. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2024. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/pdf/2024/cfa_508c.pdf.
Ramon, Ismaila, Sajal K. Chattopadhyay, W. Steven Barnett, and Robert A. Hahn. “Early Childhood Education to Promote Health Equity: A Community Guide Economic Review.” Journal of Public Health Management and Practice 24, no. 1 (2018): e8–15.https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000000557.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.
