High-quality preschool has been shown to have positive, long-term effects on children's learning and development. Once in school, confidence in reading is critical to long-term academic success. Research shows that children who read well in the early grades are far more successful in later years; and those who fall behind often stay behind. Success and confidence in reading are critical to long-term success in school.

In 2011, close to half (46%) of Silicon Valley children ages three to five were enrolled in preschool, a three percent increase over the previous year. This rate matches the decade high reached in 2006. National and statewide rates remained constant, with 40 and 37 percent of preschool aged children enrolled in school, respectively.

Disparities exist in English-Language Arts proficiency by race and ethnicity. For Chinese, Asian Indian, Korean and Asian students, more than 80 percent of third-graders tested at or above the “proficient” level. Samoan and Vietnamese students demonstrated the most improvement in English proficiency between 2011 and 2012; the share of students achieving proficient and advanced levels in English-Language Arts jumped by six and five percentage points respectively. African American students also had a notable increase of more than four percentage points over the previous year. Among Hispanic students there was little change between 2011 and 2012, and only 35 percent of students scored above basic proficiency in English-Language Arts.

In 2011, 34 percent of Silicon Valley students were eligible to receive free or reduced priced meals at school, nearing 2008 levels. This marked the first year since 2006 that free meal eligibility dropped in the region. Rates fell roughly two percent in both the state and the region over the previous year, the state reporting 55 percent of all students eligible for such benefits.

Silicon Valley public school enrollment has grown steadily since 2002, increasing by seven percent over the period. Private school enrollment has fluctuated in response to economic and population trends. After peaking in 2006, private school enrollment fell sharply during the recession and has since rebounded slightly. 2011 marked another year of declining private school enrollment levels, and the share of students enrolled in private school of all Silicon Valley students dipped to 12.8 percent, which is a below-average share of enrollment in the 2002 to 2011 period.

• Preschool Enrollment
• Third Grade English-Language Arts Proficiency by Race/Ethnicity
• Percent of Students Eligible to Receive Free or Reduced Price Meals
• Relative Growth in Public and Private School Enrollment