Public pre-K students outperform peers through high school, 20-year Miami study finds

August 28, 2026 at 05:00 AM2 min

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Students who attended public school pre-K in Miami-Dade County earned higher grades and better standardized test scores through high school than peers in family-based childcare, a 20-year study of 400,000 students found. The advantage persisted into adolescence, researchers from Florida International University and George Mason University reported. The study is among the largest long-term examinations of early childhood education outcomes.

Key Facts

The study tracked 400,000 Miami-Dade County public school students from third grade through high school over 20 years.
Public school pre-K was the only preschool setting where teachers were required to hold a college degree.
About 70 percent of Miami's population is Hispanic, making the study's Hispanic sample the largest of its kind to date.
The research was led by George Mason University and overseen by FIU associate professor Charles Bleiker.

Study Design

Researchers examined three preschool environments: public school pre-K, center-based daycare programs, and home-based childcare providers participating in the Early Learning Coalition. The study followed students beginning in third grade and tracked their academic progress through high school. All programs met minimum standards, but public school pre-K was the only setting requiring teachers to have a college degree. The research contains the largest Hispanic sample of any study of this kind conducted to date, reflecting Miami's population of about 70 percent Hispanic residents.

Teacher Qualifications

Charles Bleiker, FIU associate professor of teaching and learning, said public pre-K teachers had more education and probably higher quality. Bleiker stated that critics often say teachers do not need to be highly educated to teach young children, calling it babysitting and a waste of money. The data suggests otherwise, according to Bleiker, who noted that teachers with preparation in developmental psychology and classroom management may respond better to behavioral difficulties. Bleiker said novice teachers without formal training struggle more, and some centers hire people who are not fully qualified to teach.

Long-Term Outcomes

Students who attended public school pre-K4 earned higher grades and scored better on standardized tests throughout their school years. Those academic advantages continued into adolescence, according to the researchers. Bleiker said becoming familiar with classroom routines at an earlier age may make it easier for children to adjust when they enter elementary school. He added that children who spend formative years in time out, watching videos, or being herded around reach kindergarten not ready academically, socially, or emotionally.