In Alaska, 3 percent of 4-year-olds are served by state-funded preschool and 853 children under the age of three are enrolled in Early Head Start. The quality of these existing programs has received high marks, meeting all 10 of the pre-K quality benchmark standards established by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). However, state leaders, business leaders and lawmakers are advocating for change and expressing desire to expand early childhood education to more children in the state. Additionally, the average annual cost of center-based infant care in the state can be up to $10,338.