Planning to enroll your child in pre-K or kindergarten for the first time? If so, you're probably curious as to how Missouri's early education system compares with the rest of the country.
Personal finance company WalletHub recently released a study examining the states with the best and worst early education systems. Unfortunately for Missourians, the state's early education system was ranked one of the worst in the United States.
Here's why WalletHub ranked Missouri's early education system so low, especially when compared to neighboring states.
Why did Missouri rank so low for early education?
Missouri ranked 50th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in WalletHub's ranking, with only Indiana faring worse.
In its analysis, WalletHub used 12 metrics, including preschool enrollment,
pre-K quality standards and child care affordability, to determine each state's overall score. Those metrics were then grouped into three categories: Access, Quality and Resources and Economic Support.
Missouri's scores were well below average across the board, with the state ranking dead last in resource and academic support and near the bottom in quality.
- Access: 29th
- Quality: 47th
- Resource and academic support: 51st
As such, Missouri's early education system earned a total score of 32.98 out of 100.
How did neighboring states rank for early education?
All eight of Missouri's neighboring states fared better in WalletHub's study.
Here's where they ranked:
- Arkansas: 2nd
- Nebraska: 10th
- Illinois: 13th
- Kentucky: 14th
- Oklahoma: 16th
- Tennessee: 21st
- Iowa: 27th
- Kansas: 28th
Shop back-to-school supplies
When will summer vacation be over in Missouri?
Under Missouri law, public schools cannot start classes earlier than 14 calendar days before the first Monday in September.
For the 2026–2027 school year, the earliest legal start date is Aug. 24.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri's early education system ranked one of the worst in US
