In Virginia, 25% of State Preschool Money Unused

Prince William County qualified for enough state funding this year to provide pre-kindergarten classes to more than 1,600 children from low-income families. But the county turned down nearly all of that money and instead serves just 72 children in four classrooms.

Manassas Park was eligible for state funding to help 104 children prepare for kindergarten, but its program serves just 36.

Across Virginia, about $23 million designated for preschool was left on the table because localities — citing limited resources, lack of classroom space and politics — did not contribute the required matching funds to take full advantage of the program. As a result, more than 6,000 disadvantaged children missed the opportunity to go to school before kindergarten.

As President Obama advocates a dramatic expansion of publicly funded preschool to address the achievement gap between children from rich and poor families, Virginia and many other states are struggling with low participation in underfunded preschool programs. In New York City, for example, the new mayor, Bill de Blasio, campaigned to expand a preschool program that claimed to be universal but is under-­enrolled because of scarce funding and facilities.