Washington Parent | Family Guide for DC, MD & VA

Families in Halloween costumes stroll a zoo path lit in red and purple during Boo at the Zoo.

Things To Do

Fun Things to Do With Kids in the DC Area This Weekend

A girl in a hard hat and safety glasses looks through a surveying instrument on a tripod at The Big Build.

Things To Do

Step Into the World of Building at the National Building Museum’s The Big Build!

Caroline MoralesOctober 1, 2026

Three young children smile from a covered hay wagon at Great Country Farms in Bluemont, Virginia

Food

11 DMV fall festivals to add to your 2026 calendar

Sanya BathiaOctober 5, 2026

LATEST

Young children playing with wooden toys at a child care center

Parenting Advice

6 things every parent should check when choosing child care

Donna Sawyer Sawyer4 Mins Read

About the study To determine the rankings, WalletHub compared all 50 states and DC across three key dimensions – Access, Quality and Resources and Economic Support – using 12 relevant metrics, each graded on a 100-point scale. Access metrics include the share of school districts offering a state pre-K program, enrollment rates for three- and four-year-olds, the presence of waiting lists for child care assistance, and pre-K program growth. Quality metrics include pre-K quality benchmarks met, income requirements for state pre-K eligibility, and school safety plan and audit requirements. Resources and Economic Support metrics cover total spending per child enrolled in preschool, changes in state spending per child, Head Start program spending, and monthly child care co-payment fees as a share of family income. Data was collected as of June 30, 2026 from the National Institute for Early Education Research, the Education Commission of the States, and the National Women's Law Center. All three DMV locations landed in the top 11 — making the region one of the most impressive clusters of early education strength anywhere in the country. Here's a closer look at each. District of Columbia: Ranked No. 1 in the country The District of Columbia is at the very top of WalletHub's 2026 rankings with an overall score of 77.43. DC earned a perfect No. 1 ranking in both Access and Resources & Economic Support, meaning no state in the country does more to make early education available to families or invests more financial resources in getting children there. In the access category, DC leads the country in the enrollment of three- and four-year-olds in pre-K, pre-K special education or Head Start programs, with 77% of DC three-year-olds and 95% of DC four-year-olds enrolled. That enrollment is also growing rapidly: DC saw a 56% increase in three-year-old enrollment and a 50% increase in four-year-old enrollment between the 2001-02 and 2024-25 school years. DC also spends the most money per child enrolled in preschool of any state or district in the country, at over $27,000 per year. The one area where DC has room to grow is Quality, where it ranks No. 20. While not a bad score, it is the category where DC trails both Maryland and Virginia. DC at a glance: Overall rank: No. 1 (score: 77.43) Access rank: No. 1 Quality rank: No. 20 Resources & Economic Support rank: No. 1 Three-year-old enrollment: 77% Four-year-old enrollment: 95% Spending per child enrolled in preschool: about $27,000/year Maryland: Ranked No. 3 in the country Maryland's No. 3 overall ranking has a score of 74.45, built primarily on exceptional strength in Quality and Resources. Maryland ranks No. 2 in Quality and No. 3 in Resources & Economic Support, with a No. 14 Access ranking that reflects solid statewide reach. Maryland has one of the highest quality rankings in the country, also meeting a high number of pre-K quality benchmarks, which covers everything from teacher qualifications and sizes to curriculum supports and continuous quality improvement systems. Maryland's financial investment in early education is equally impressive. The state has the 15th-highest spending per child enrolled in preschool in the country, at nearly $12,000 per year. Maryland at a glance: Overall rank: No. 3 (score: 74.45) Access rank: No. 14 Quality rank: No. 2 Resources & Economic Support rank: No. 3 Spending per child enrolled in preschool: $12,000/year Virginia: Ranked No. 11 in the country Virginia's No. 11 overall ranking with a score of 60.08 displays that Virginia performs consistently across all three categories – Access (No. 23), Quality (No. 8), and Resources & Economic Support (No. 24) – making it one of the more balanced early education systems in the top quarter of the country. Virginia's No. 8 Quality ranking is particularly notable. The state meets the pre-K quality benchmarks, including requirements around teacher qualifications, sizes, and health screenings. Virginia also has school safety plans in place, contributing to its strong quality score. Where Virginia has the most room to grow relative to its DMV neighbors is in the Access category, with a No. 23 ranking that means that statewide reach and enrollment rates are not yet at the level of Maryland or DC. Income requirements for state pre-K eligibility are also a factor, as they determine how many families qualify for state-supported programs in the first place. For Northern Virginia families specifically, proximity to DC-area resources and strong local school district investment can offset some of the statewide limitations. Virginia at a glance: Overall rank: No. 11 (score: 60.08) Access rank: No. 23 Quality rank: No. 8 Resources & Economic Support rank: No. 24 What this means for DMV families With all three DMV locations ranking in the top 11 in the country, families in the region are in a strong position when it comes to early childhood education. DC leads the nation in making pre-K available and affordable. Maryland leads in quality and investment. Virginia is a consistently solid performer that is well above the national average in every category measured. Only 11 states currently offer universal pre-K programs, though many are working toward it. The DMV, with DC already leading the country and Maryland and Virginia both in the top tier, is well-positioned to be part of that next wave of expansion. For parents with children approaching preschool age, that's good news worth paying attention to.

Schools

How do DC, Maryland and Virginia rank for early education?

Miranda Simpson6 Mins Read

A young worker stands beside an older tradesman and a work van, a first job where work permits for teens may apply

Parenting Advice

What should I know before my kid starts a job?

Stevie Rosenfeld4 Mins Read

A teacher reads aloud to a circle of young children, the kind of story time where books about bullying for kids can start a conversation

Guides

The best books to help your kid handle a bully — at every age

Mary Quattlebaum7 Mins Read

A dancer in a feathered headdress and sugar skull face paint performs at a Día de los Muertos festival

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What is Día de los Muertos and where can I celebrate?

Sanya Bathia5 Mins Read

EDITOR'S PICK

Gaithersburg Community Museum in Olde Towne Gaithersburg

Things To Do

9 Fun Things to Do in Gaithersburg With Kids your family will beg to repeat

Stevie RosenfeldOctober 12, 2026

A teacher at Lowell School, a progressive school in DC, models a letter sound for three of the youngest students during phonics.

Schools

Lowell School: a progressive school in DC for ages 2.5 through eighth grade

Lowell SchoolOctober 1, 2026

Lauryn Ricketts smiles while holding her baby beside her young son on a porch.

People

Storm Team4’s Lauryn Ricketts on motherhood with two boys

Brandi CalhounSeptember 23, 2026

Three children dressed as a devil, a pumpkin and a witch carry treat buckets down a garden path for a guide to family Halloween events in the DMV

Things To Do

16 family Halloween events in the DMV worth planning for

Allison ChanSeptember 21, 2026

THINGS TO DO

THINGS TO DO

A family of five in matching red superhero costumes poses in front of two elephants inside the Elephant Community Center during Boo at the Zoo at the Smithsonian's National Zoo.

Things To Do

From jungle cats to jack-o’-lanterns, Smithsonian’s Boo at the Zoo has it all

Sanya BathiaOctober 12, 2026

Welcoming visitors back to DC for its new SUBMERGE Project, ARTECHOUSE DC is reopening after over a year of being closed. The venue temporarily closed in May 2025 due to nearby construction, and reopened on Sept. 11, 2026.

ARTECHOUSE DC is back: What families should know about SUBMERGE

September 15, 2026

9/11 Memorial at World Trade Center Ground Zero Remembering 9/11 in the DMV: 25th anniversary

9/11 25th Anniversary Ceremonies in the DMV: Where DC Area Families Gathered

September 3, 2026

How to plan a visit to pumpkin patches near DC

Fall festivities done right: 11 pumpkin patches in Maryland and Virginia to visit

August 15, 2026

Fall foliage near Washington DC - in orange, red and yellow reflected in still water.

Fall foliage near DC: 12 best family spots for 2026

August 15, 2026

EVENTS CALENDAR

What's Happening Near You

EDUCATION

SCHOOLS

High school students working on laptops in a classroom

Schools

Top 10 Prince George’s County Private Schools for 2026

Stevie RosenfeldOctober 12, 2026

healthy kids going back to school

Back to school health: A pediatrician’s checklist for a strong start

August 20, 2026

Two children read one of the best night sky books for kids by flashlight on a rooftop under the stars

The night sky has never looked so fun in these kids’ books

August 4, 2026

A parent and child reviewing My School DC lottery results together at home

How to navigate the My School DC lottery if your child didn’t get their first choice

July 20, 2026

Back to school in the DMV: what families need to know for the 2026-27 school year

Back to School in the DMV: 10 Questions Parents Ask for 2026-27

July 20, 2026

RAISING KIDS

PARENTING ADVICE

School Asian girl kid using screen time as a reward

Parenting Advice

Why using screen time as a reward could be hurting your child

Bea MoiseSeptember 10, 2026

A mother checking his son's progress on a school homework while working at home. Photo credit: DimaBerlin // Shutterstock

A busy parent’s guide to students using AI

August 25, 2026

school avoidance anxiety children parents help

When ‘I don’t want to go to school’ is more than a phase — it might be anxiety

July 19, 2026

Nanny, au pair, daycare: What’s available in the DMV?

Nanny vs. au pair vs. daycare; What is best for your family?

June 25, 2026

Human hand holding a protest banner stop e-cigarette vaping message over a crowded street background.

What are the Laws for Vaping and E-Cigarettes for Teens in the DMV?

June 18, 2026

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