Joe Biden breaks promise to offer universal preschool to all 3- and 4-year-olds

Two states — Florida and Vermont — offer free, universal preschool programs that aren't capped by funding amounts, enrollment numbers or enrollment deadlines. Seven other states have near-universal pre-K and some cities have taken initiatives to establish universal pre-K programs.

But President Joe Biden wanted to make free preschool a reality for all 3-and 4-year olds in the United States.

The idea survived a few rounds in Congress in the first half of Biden's tenure but it hasn't been included in any approved legislation.

Biden initially proposed a $200 billion investment to ensure "low student-to-teacher ratios, high-quality and developmentally appropriate curriculum, and supportive classroom environments that are inclusive for all students."

The Build Back Better bill that passed the House in November 2021 included the universal preschool provision. But a few Democratic senators objected to its scope. The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, the bill the Senate ultimately passed and Biden signed, didn't address preschool.

The 2021 American Rescue Plan included about $40 billion for child care, including $24 billion for a new child care stabilization fund that provides subgrants to child care providers, along with money for state Child Care Development Block Grant programs.

In April 2023, Biden signed an executive order directing federal agencies to find ways to make child care cheaper and easier to get. White House officials said the order included more than 50 directives designed to enact new, low-cost regulations and tweak policies, including directing agencies to increase  preschool teachers' pay and benefits. But it didn't deliver on Biden's goal to make preschool free for all 3 and 4-year olds.

The Biden administration has taken no other steps toward advancing this promise. We rate it Promise Broken.