The War on Poverty

"The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was originally passed in 1965 as part of the War on Poverty.  It’s time that we return to its original purpose by expanding and strengthening federally-funded programs for early childhood education."  This call to action appeared in an article by Jennifer Rokosa in the Center for Progress (October 20, 2011), where she observes:

"The research is clear: ECE programs can combat poverty and make a significant difference in our school system’s success.  At a time when record numbers of children are living in poverty, programs with proven and demonstrable effectiveness such as early childhood education are of the utmost importance."

Rokosa's recommendations:
"The revisions to ESEA must work to align preschool programs with the K-12 educational continuum so that children transition seamlessly between preschool and kindergarten and continue to build upon skills learned in preschool.  Legislators can begin by making Title I funds, which are meant to provide assistance to schools serving low-income populations, more readily available to preschool programs.  As it stands, only 3 percent of Title I funds are used for early childhood education.

"Legislators can also support preschool programs by implementing accountability standards that more accurately track preschool achievement.  (Standardized testing, for example, is not an effective way of tracking the complex social, emotional, and intellectual growth that takes place in preschool years.)  Other ways to build high-quality preschool programs include provisions for professional development that specifically address the concerns and challenges of early childhood educators, and incentivizing the creation of high-performing preschool programs in school districts across the country."

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