Home / Preschool and Early Education Expansion

Preschool and Early Education Expansion

There are numerous case studies that support the value of early education expansion and the creation of high-quality preschool programs for early learners, particularly for students that would otherwise be marginalized in the public school system. These programs are deemed high-quality because of the presence of a number of factors, including highly trained and well-compensated teachers, full-day program availability, smaller class sizes and student/teacher ratios, evidence-based instruction and professional development for the staff, and comprehensive services, particularly for low-income students and students with specialized educational needs.

Good News and Bad News for Preschool Programs

The good news: according to the National Institute for Early Education Research, all but four US states have adopted early learning programs to provide high-quality preschool options for all four-year old students from low- and moderate-income families. The bad news: although several national education policy initiatives have increased funding to preschool programs throughout the United States, the number of enrollments in a high-quality preschool program remain low. According to one article published by EducationNews.org,
"Currently, only 41% of all four-year-old young people and 16% of three-year-olds in the US are enrolled in publicly funded preschool programs such as Head Start or special education, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research."
 

What We Know About Successful Preschool Programs

One recent case study identified two major factors in creating a successful preschool program - 1. aligning instruction from preschool through grade 3, and 2. use of an individualized, or differentiated, instructional model. Aligning instruction across a span of 5 years required coordination of everything from learning standards to curriculum, and even communication with families. The use of individualized instruction also meant incorporating everything from small group instruction to making necessary modifications and accommodations based on each student's learning needs. The findings of this particular case study can be used for modeling new preschool programs to maximize successful outcomes for students.

New Grants and the Pay for Success Model

One recent grant initiative put into place late last year is the Pay for Success grant, which offered $3 million in compensation for positive outcomes from early education preschool programs. As noted in this Press Release from the US Department of Education, eight entities (including one state department of education, public school districts, charter school districts, and other early education companies) were selected to participate in the grant opportunity. These entities will measure outcomes such as improved kindergarten readiness, achievement in reading and math, and improved social and emotional skills for young learners who attend these preschool programs. The participants will also study whether or not social and emotional skills are indicative of future school success, and other financial and societal benefits. If your child is entering preschool or kindergarten soon and you want to find out if he/she is ready, call the preschool and kindergarten readiness experts at Club Z! at 800-434-2582.
Category: Uncategorized

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RECENT POSTS

No matter how you look at it, college is an expensive proposition these days. Both public and private colleges and universities have had to raise fees and tuition as costs have increased. As a result, college student debt has skyrocketed and many students end up with loan payments years, sometimes even decades, after graduation. But with some careful planning and creative thinking, there are lots of other ways to help pay for college and avoid being stuck with big loan payments after graduation. One final but important step in the college application process is to include an application for financial aid.

As parents, and grandparents for that matter, we consider it to be a bit of a rite of passage to tell our children just how easy they have it compared to what we went through at their age. File this under the “when I was your age, I had to walk 2 miles to school each day, uphill both ways” category.

For any parent of a college-bound student, SAT and ACT test scores are no doubt at the center of most dinner table discussions. While no one will argue that test scores alone are the deciding factor in college admissions, and many colleges are moving toward a test-optional admissions policy, strong scores on the SAT and or ACT can definitely help a student’s chance of gaining admission to his/her college of choice.