Children who attend public school pre-K4 programs outperform peers in center-based or home-based childcare on standardized tests and grades all the way through high school, according to a 20-year study published Tuesday, Aug. 11 by Florida International University.
Researchers tracked more than 400,000 Miami-Dade County Public Schools students from third grade through high school graduation. The study, led by George Mason University and overseen by FIU associate professor Charles Bleiker, is one of the largest analyses of early childhood outcomes ever conducted with M-DCPS data.
The gap was persistent.
The team compared three preschool settings: public school pre-K, center-based childcare and home-based childcare affiliated with the Early Learning Coalition. All met minimum state requirements. The key difference: public school pre-K was the only setting that required teachers to hold a college degree.
"Our data says otherwise," Bleiker said of critics who argue teachers don't need advanced education to work with young children, dismissing it as "just babysitting and a waste of money." He added that novice teachers without formal training struggle more, and that children who spend formative years "watching videos or being herded around, rather than being stimulated" reach kindergarten unprepared academically, socially and emotionally.
Because Miami's population is 70 percent Hispanic, the study features the largest Hispanic sample of any such early childhood research to date.
What it means locally
The study's release coincides with the opening of Miami-Dade County Public Schools' 2026-27 school year on Thursday, Aug. 13, and with the City of Miami Beach's Pre-K Scholarship Program gearing up for 2027-28.
The city announced on Aug. 7 that the scholarship program will offer eligible families up to $3,000 for pre-K. Provider information sessions begin Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 11 a.m., with additional sessions Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 1 p.m. and Thursday, Aug. 20 at 6 p.m. Only DCF-licensed providers may participate.
The Miami Beach City Commission voted Feb. 5 to expand the program from 192 to 230 scholarships, with total annual funding of $690,000, after 37 families landed on a waitlist the previous year.
Meanwhile, Miami Beach South Pointe Elementary is one of seven M-DCPS pilot sites for PK-3 Sprouts, a new tuition-supported program for three-year-olds launched in April. Tuition runs $40 per day, or $7,200 annually.
Bleiker's advice for parents
Bleiker, who joined FIU in 2001, offered four tips for families evaluating pre-K programs:
- Ask about teacher stability. Frequent turnover disrupts the attachments young children form.
- Use the Early Learning Coalition. The organization provides quality ratings and guidance on local childcare options.
- Visit in person. Ask about staff qualifications and classroom routines before enrolling.
- Talk to other parents. Find out whether their children are thriving at the center.
Bleiker noted that public schools don't have to shoulder the entire burden. The study's findings, he said, could help improve center-based and family-based programs as well.
