This is why we need state-wide Pre-K education in Montana

Among incoming kindergarteners from households with incomes over $100,000, 69% were assessed “fully ready” for school, with only 8% “not ready.”

Among Incoming kindergarteners from households with incomes below $49,999, only 31% were assessed as “fully ready”, with 33% “not ready.”

That is pretty dramatic.

Among higher income children, 78% attended a licensed early childhood care and eduction program, but among lower income children, only 56% did. Alarmingly, 12% of children from higher income households attended a transitional kindergarten program, but only 2% of children from lower income households.

Perhaps the most compelling information of all comes when we look at use of FREE community resources like community events, the library, and Dolly Parton’s free book delivery program, Imagination Library (DPIL).

Community events: Higher income – 85%; Lower income: 58%.

Public Library: Higher income – 92%; Lower income: 67%.

DPIL: Higher income-64%; Lower income: 46%.

If you want to dig into the findings further, check out the interactive dashboard at this link: https://public.tableau.com/…/MissoulaKEA2025Da…/Homepage