Pre-kindergarten
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The pre-K movement has altered the early childhood education landscape. It has brought billions of dollars in new investment, developed new standards, and heightened attention to the early learning years. Currently, 38 states spend nearly $3.7 billion annually to reach over one million children each year. State leaders expand and modify these programs each year and there are many opportunities to be involved.
Investment in early childhood education programs makes sense! Much of the preK growth resulted from the heightened interest of education reformers and school administrators concerned about meeting the requirements of No Child Left Behind, the federal law that set standards for schools based on fourth and eighth grade test results.
While “prekindergarten” used to refer loosely to learning and development experiences a child received in the community before the Kindergarten year (age 5), it has come to mean standards-based programs focused on 4-year-olds (and in some states 3-year-olds as well) implemented through schools and school districts. Programs are most-often free to families. Eligibility can be targeted (based on income or other factors) or universal (open to any child of that age in the state). Program standards, services, and calendar (length of day, length of school year) vary as well.
Of primary importance is that nearly 12 million children are in child care each week while their parents are at work. Children from birth through age five need high-quality environments, and working parents need options. ECEC is working to inform the debate and ensure leaders are aware of the needs of child care providers, parents, and children.
The growth of the “pre-K movement” raises important questions for the field of early childhood education:
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• How do these new state-funded prek programs integrate with existing early childhood programs like child care and Head Start?
• What impact does a focused investment on 4-year-olds have on infant and toddler care?
• How can we leverage and enhance the capacity and expertise of operators of quality child care and early learning programs?
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ECEC Resources
News and Reports
Background
ECEC Resources
"Investing in Early Education"
Testimony of Eric Karolak, Executive Director of the Early Care and Education Consortium
U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, January 23, 2008
Links and summaries of major preK and early childhood education legislation
News and Reports
Conference Call Series: A Center Piece of the PreK Puzzle
With the number of state-funded prekindergarten programs continuing to grow throughout the country, the National Women’s Law Center, with a grant provided by the Early Care and Education Consortium, recently released a report, A Center Piece of the PreK Puzzle: Providing State Prekindergarten in Child Care Centers, highlighting the many advantages of using child care centers within these programs.
To expand upon the report, NWLC and ECEC have partnered to produce a series of national audio conferences on the role of community-based early learning centers in delivering state-funded prekindergarten. The calls are interactive and include discussions with representatives from child care agencies currently operating state prekindergarten programs.
The first call, “Financing State Prekindergarten Programs in Child Care Centers,” highlighted financing issues and concerns in operating a state prekindergarten program. The second, “Workforce Issues Facing Child Care Centers Operating State Prekindergarten Programs,” highlighted workforce issues including professional development needs, compensation, and the relationships between child care staff and prekindergarten teachers.
To view a transcript and listen to a recording of these calls, visit the National Women’s Law Center website.
Mark your calendar! The next audio conference will be held October 8 at 2 PM ET and will focus on governance issues. Join our mailing list to receive details as the date approaches.
Opportunities and Challenges in State-funded PreKindergarten
ECEC’s Presentation at the 2007 NAEYC Annual Conference
Watch for us at NAEYC’s conference in 2008!
News and Reports Archive 2007, including:
Hearing of the Joint Economic Committee June 2007
“Necessary But Not Sufficient” Briefing on Capitol Hill, June 2007
Telluride Summit: Financial Leaders Hear ECE Prospectus
Background
The State of Preschool 2007
W. Steven Barnett, Ph.D., Jason T. Hustedt, Ph.D., Allison H. Friedman, Ed.M., Judi Stevenson Boyd, Ed.M., Pat Ainsworth
National Institute for Early Education Research (March 2008)
A Center Piece of the PreK Puzzle: Providing State Prekindergarten in Child Care Centers
Karen Schulman and Helen Blank
National Women's Law Center (December 2007)
Making Pre-Kindergarten Work for Low-income Working Families
Rachel Schumacher, Katie Hamm, and Danielle Ewen
Center for Law and Social Policy, June 21, 2007
Starting Off Right: Promoting Child Development From Birth in State Early Care and Education Initiatives
Rachael Schumacher, Katie Hamm, Anne Goldstein and Joan Lombardi
Center for Law and Social Policy (July 2006)
The Economic Promise of Investing in High-Quality Preschool: Using Early Education to Improve Economic Growth and the Fiscal Sustainability of State and the Nation
Committee for Economic Development (June 2006)
All Together Now: State Experiences in Using Community-Based Child Care to Provide Pre-Kindergarten
Danielle Ewen, Rachel Schumacher, and Katherine Hart
Center for Law and Social Policy (Revised February 2005)
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