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Universal Pre-K
February 19, 2015
Courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier. We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up...discovering we have strength to stare it down.
-Eleanor Roosevelt
-Eleanor Roosevelt
Several decades ago when we lived in Somerville, Massachusetts, Bonnie organized a neighborhood playgroup that she called "Summer Street Players." One of the "players," Jeanne Chang, had a boisterous sister, Sonia, who was a wanna-be player. Last month, this same Sonia, now Massachusetts State Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz of Jamaica Plain, according to the Boston Globe,
"...introduced a bill that would include 3- and 4-year-olds in the state's Chapter 70 funding, the mechanism that sends state aid to local public schools. (Some children would attend public schools, while private preschools would handle some of the care.) In essence, the bill — which by this week had garnered 42 cosponsors — would make early education a state obligation, rather than a privilege for those who can afford it."
The Globe editorial questioned whether the state could afford universal pre-K at this point, but concluded that "the bill serves as more of a conversation starter than a realistic short-term proposal. But it's a conversation worth having."
Indeed, this conversation is happening in cities and states around the country. It is a conversation that child advocates need to be active players in to make sure any legislation that follows supports, rather than undermines, the existing child care delivery system. We have seen too many examples of well-meaning universal pre-K initiatives that end up driving high quality existing providers of care out of business.
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Discount applies to purchase before tax and shipping, if applicable.
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Offer expires February 20, 2015, at 11:59 pm PST.
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Comments (7)
Displaying 5 of 7 Comments [ View all ]Australia
The proposed legislation is a conversation you can't afford NOT to have if your nation is committed to equity of provision for every child. I hope the conversation is noisy, continuous, and led by those of you who are committed to equity and the right of every child.
Loving & Learning Center
Guerneville, CA, United States
Thank you! It's worrisome to listen to politicians jump on the bandwagon for Early Childhood Education when all of the proposed funding will go to school districts and ignore high quality private preschools like mine. As a small business owner, I've struggled to keep my center open through the recession. I lowered my rates so lower income families could afford the tuition and almost lost my own house as a result. Someone (like us) needs to speak up and remind the politicians that independent child care centers exist and we employ members of our community!
Rainbow River CDC
Hermosa Beach, Ca., United States
This is so true. We were a part of the Los Angeles Universal Preschool project for 6 years. We have been a licensed child care provider for over 36 years with over 29 licenses issued to our company. All LAUP wanted was for us to become a number in their system. Everything became standardized to test scores so that they could get their funding. Excellence was discouraged, they wanted all the programs to look the same. The curriculums all had to be cookie cuttered to meet their requirements. Curriculums and programs that we had developed over 30 years were jettisoned for University developed curriculums. The country is struggling with education for grade schoolers through high school, do we really want the 3 and 4 year olds in public schools. They are teaching them to the testing at 3 years of age? Is this what we really want?
Rainbow River CDC
Hermosa Beach, Ca., United States
This is so true. We were a part of the Los Angeles Universal Preschool project for 6 years. We have been a licensed child care provider for over 36 years with over 29 licenses issued to our company. All LAUP wanted was for us to become a number in their system. Everything became standardized to test scores so that they could get their funding. Excellence was discouraged, they wanted all the programs to look the same. The curriculums all had to be cookie cuttered to meet their requirements. Curriculums and programs that we had developed over 30 years were jettisoned for University developed curriculums. The country is struggling with education for grade schoolers through high school, do we really want the 3 and 4 year olds in public schools. They are teaching them to the testing at 3 years of age? Is this what we really want?
Talking Our Walk
Carlsbad, California, United States
I found this article to be exciting as once again we see how something that may seem fairly insignificant impacted a child when they were young can enhance their decisions later in life. In this case if is one of those full circle ideas that will have influence well beyond the streets of those early years.
What I still find troubling is that our legislators still do not seem to understand the cost effectiveness of promoting these programs for our youngest of children and while it is always said that "there is no money now," the reality is that it is there but is being spent on corrective/reactive measures rather than proactive ideology and supportive programs I think we need to have current legislatures take a look back at the Perry Preschool Project and others that have shown the cost effectiveness of positive influence and supportive programs on the lives of young children and their families.
I would also love to see more reflection taken back to what we can do to strengthen families at a time when support is needed for both low and middle income families!
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