More Education Plays

Children who attend high-quality preschool programs that prepare them to read and build cognitive, verbal, and social skills do measurably better in school and in life than kids who do not have that opportunity. They get better scores on academic achievement tests in school, go on to get better jobs, and are less likely to become dependent on welfare or to commit crimes.

Studies of high-quality preschool programs in North Carolina and Michigan have found that public investments in such programs could, in fact, deliver a 7-to-1 return in the long run, in the form of increased productivity and decreased social spending.

Clearly, America's current system of early education represents an enormous missed opportunity. It is a patchwork system that includes daycare arrangements amounting to little more than babysitting; programs that purport to be preschool, but in fact have underqualified teachers and weak academic focus; a few high-quality public preschool programs; Head Start programs; and high-quality, but expensive, options for those who can afford private school. Disadvantaged children are the worst served. Less than one-half of them attend preschool at all, perpetuating an academic preparation gap between poor and middle-class kids.

Federal, state, and local leaders can help close this preparation gap by enacting universal or targeted preschool programs that ensure all disadvantaged children have an opportunity to attend high-quality, academically oriented preschool. A few states have pre-K models to achieve this that could be widely replicated.

Georgia began funding a universal pre-K program in 1993 with earmarked proceeds from a state lottery. Any four year old child in the state is eligible to enroll. Pre-K is offered through a diverse network of public schools, private and nonprofit preschool programs, and Head Start agencies, which are approved and funded on a per-pupil basis. Providers must meet basic health and safety requirements. Teachers must have either a Child Development Associate credential or a degree in early childhood education. Class sizes must be limited to 20 students. In addition, the programs must use scientifically based school readiness curricula. Programs that meet higher standards are funded at a higher rate.

Nearly 80 percent of four year olds in Georgia are enrolled in either a Head Start or universal pre-K program, and the results have been impressive. A University of Georgia study found that the pre-K students improved their school readiness scores relative to national norms. It also found that the pre-K system eliminated the skills gap between universal pre-K students and the more affluent students whose parents sent them to private programs.

"The benefits of early childhood education are substantial. Study after study finds that children in these programs perform better in school, display stronger reading skills, and have fewer disciplinary problems." -- Gov. Brad Henry, Oklahoma

Oklahoma's system is run through the school districts, and therefore its teachers meet the same requirements as other elementary school teachers in the state, which include a bachelor's degree and certification in early childhood education and are paid on the same salary schedule. But, beyond the requirements that apply to public schools generally, the pre-K programs have flexibility on curricula and class sizes.

Oklahoma's system has gotten impressive results. A Georgetown University study found gains in the children's cognitive and language assessment scores -- particularly among African-American and Hispanic children, whose scores improved by an average of 17 percent and 54 percent, respectively. As of 2006, 98 percent of Oklahoma school districts offer pre-K programs, up 30 percent since 1998.

In New York, former Gov. Eliot Spitzer announced that the state will phase in a truly universal pre-K program over the next four years. Gov. Spitzer's first budget proposal called for an increase of $99 million, bringing total funding to $395 million in 2007-08. The legislature exceeded his proposal increasing funding to $450 million. The new program could serve as many as 44,000 additional children. Spitzer has also called on funding to increase by another $349 million to $645 million by 2010-11. Spitzer also announced the creation of a Children's Cabinet, which will bring together the many agencies of state government to develop and implement the necessary reforms required to give all of the state's children an equal opportunity for success. The Children's Cabinet has been specifically charged with implementing the governor's universal pre-K program, along with the other pillar of his children's agenda -- universal health insurance for all children.

In Illinois, Gov. Rod Blagojevich and numerous legislators have provided strong bipartisan support for expansion of high-quality early-childhood programs. After being elected in 2002, Gov. Blagojevich created the Illinois Early Learning Council to develop a high-quality early-learning system for all families in the state. From 2003-05, the governor and legislature worked to increase funding for the early childhood block grant each year by $30 million. Then, in 2006, Gov. Blagojevich signed a law creating the Preschool for All program that will make voluntary, high-quality pre-K available to all three and four year olds in the state. It is estimated that this will help 32,000 more children enter kindergarten ready to succeed.

While there are many ways to create successful early learning programs, they must be broad enough in scope to serve all low-income children who could benefit from preschool and must include a strong school readiness curriculum, including early literacy and math skills, taught by teachers with early childhood education and training. By making programs available in their own states and communities, policymakers can improve children's lives and the economic prospects of their areas.

Resources For Action

Chicago Child-Parent Center Program
www.waisman.wisc.edu/cls/Program.htm

The National Institute for Early Education Research
www.nieer.org

Governor Eliot Spitzer's Executive Order Creating the Children's Cabinet
www.ny.gov/governor/executive_orders/exeorders/16.html

Additional Reading

William T. Gormley, Jr, Ted Gayer, Deborah Phillips, and Brittany Dawson, "The Effects of Oklahoma's Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program on School Readiness," Georgetown University, 2004
www.crocus.georgetown.edu/reports/
executive.summary.ok.11.16.04.pdf

"Idea of the Week: A National Pre-K Strategy," Democratic Leadership Council, September 10, 2004
www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=131&subid=207&contentid=252873

Sara Mead, "Open the Preschool Door, Close the Preparation Gap," Progressive Policy Institute, September 200
www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?contentid=252867
&knlgAreaID=110&subsecid=180

Sen. Tom Carper, "Universal Preschool," BLUEPRINT, December 13, 2004
www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=110&subid=180&contentid=253071

Contacts

Libby Doggett, PH.D.
Director
Pre[k]now
1025 F Street, NW, NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 862-9871
(202) 862-9870 (fax)
ldoggett@preknow.org

W. Steven Barnett, Ph.D.
Director
National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
120 Albany Street, Suite 500
New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901
(732) 932-4350 ext. 228
(732) 932-4360 (fax)
sbarnett@nieer.org

Sara Mead
Senior Research Fellow
Education Policy Program and Workforce and Family Program
New America Foundation
mead@newamerica.net