Milwaukee earns bronze medal in Pre-K, report says

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – A report released Wednesday morning analyzes the pre-kindergarten programs in 40 U.S. cities.

Milwaukee earned a bronze medal in the report by the initiative, CityHealth and the National Institute for Early Education Research.

The Wisconsin Four Year Old Kindergarten Program met three of the 10 benchmarks in the study. According to the report, Milwaukee met standards for requiring lead teachers to have a bachelor’s degree and special training in Pre-K. Milwaukee also qualified as having high enrollment with more than 30 percent of 4-year-olds in the program.

The city fell short on having learning goals, a class size cap and health screenings and referrals. There’s room for improvement and experts say quality Pre-K can make all the difference in children’s lives and their future.

“An equal chance for strong learning that gives you a financial foothold,” CityHealth president Shelley Hearne said. “It helps you be a productive member of society, it gives you access to better nutrition.

Out of the 40 cities, Seattle ranked highest meeting all ten benchmarks. Cities like Indianapolis and Phoenix ranked among the lowest.

The full report can be read below: