San Francisco Bay Homes - Cliff Keith and Team

Universal Preschool News

Confused about the benefits or harm of Universal Preschool? Is it a silver bullet for education reform or a waste of money?
Watch this 10-minute documentary...

In this section, you'll find editorials, legislation, public policy and trends on issues relating to preschool, pre-kindergarten, childcare and the push toward universal preschool education. Particularly of note are articles concerning the states claim of a compelling interest in compulsory preschool education. Visit often for the latest preschool news.

  1  

Leading Democratic candidates for California governor back universal preschool In what would be a significant shift from Gov. Jerry Brown's position on early education, the four leading Democratic candidates running to replace him next year say they are committed to offering universal preschool in California. Under Gov. Brown's watch, California has increased the number of subsidized preschool and child care slots, as well as access to an early kindergarten grade called transitional kindergarten for some 4-year-olds. But much to the frustration of early education advocates, Brown has rejected pressures to expand preschool to all low-income 4-year-olds, mainly citing the costs of such an expansion as the major impediment. In a setback for advocates two years ago, Brown vetoed what was called "The Preschool for All" legislation (Assembly Bill 47). by Louis Freedberg and Ashley Hopkinson December 17, 2017 [More Results from edsource.org]
924 early childhood bills introduced in state legislatures this year This year, the 50 state legislatures introduced a total of 924 early education-related proposals that included everything from statewide universal preschool to quality rating systems. Of the bills that did pass, most represented small moves toward making public preschool and early childhood care available to more students and diversifying the programs available. by Kate Schimel July 13, 2015 [More Results from educationdive.com]
Is Universal Preschool a Threat to Private and Faith Based Preschool Enrollment? What I am hearing as I talk to students at Vanguard this week is, "What effect is Universal Preschool going to have on private and faith based enrollment?" Right now all preschool teacher education requirements are pretty much equal (with the exception of Head Start schools which have raised the level of education for preschool teachers to a BA Degree).  So, parents who want their children taught with Christian values, with Christian role models, feel their children get the same academic instruction and quality of education as state preschools while benefiting in a sound Christian education. February 27, 2013 [More Results from earlychildhoodeducation.vanguard.edu]
Eugenics & 4 Year Olds - Invasion Of The Body Snatchers How many ways can the statists take away your life and liberty? At this point it is becoming harder and harder to count them all. From healthcare to education, from housing to food, the Federal government, under the dictatorship of Barack Obama, is in the process of taking everything in your life out of your hands. I have read that the "Affordable Health Care Act" contains language to allow the state to demand your organs upon your death without your consent. Not at all sure that is so, but if Mayor Bloomberg can mandate what you can't buy to drink and can restrict the use of salt, is there any limit to what the government can and can't do with your body? February 21, 2013 [More Results from freedomoutpost.com]
Does state preschool crowd-out private provision? The success of any governmental subsidy depends on whether it increases provision or crowds out existing supply. Universal preschool policies introduced in Georgia and Oklahoma offer an opportunity to investigate the impact of government provision and government funding. Using difference-in-difference estimation frameworks, we examine the effects of universal preschool on the supply of childcare providers. August 18, 2012 [More Results from cepa.stanford.edu]
What Happened When Kindergarten Went Universal? More than four decades after the first model preschool interventions, there is an emerging consensus that high-quality early-childhood education can improve a child's economic and social outcomes over the long term. Publicly funded kindergarten is available to virtually all children in the U.S. at age five, but access to preschool opportunities for children four years old and younger remains uneven across regions and socioeconomic groups. Parents with financial means have the option of enrolling their child in a private program at their own expense. by Elizabeth U. Cascio March 8, 2010 [More Results from Education Next]
Federal Spending on Education to Double, and Do Little Good Part of the "stimulus" (read: earmark-ridden, pork-barrel) package making its way through Washington D.C. these days involves federal aid to education. Lisa Snell, of the Reason Foundation, takes a look at the money and finds little good. The stimulus package will spend more than double the current total federal education budget, bringing federal funding of education to well over $200 billion. 70 percent of 4-year-olds are already enrolled in preschool... January 30, 2009 [More Results from Kansas Education]
Questions for Candidates As November elections approach, homeschoolers should try to find out the positions of the candidates on the issues of most importance to parents. NHELD has compiled a short list of suggested questions. What is your position on compulsory public pre-school (universal pre-school) for infants and toddlers? October 9, 2008 [More Results from Home Educator's Family Times]
Hispanic Children Gain an Academic Edge When Their Education Starts Early The National Task Force on Early Childhood Education for Hispanics released a national report, Para Nuestros Ninos: Expanding and Improving Early Education for Hispanics. The Task Force on Early Childhood Education for Hispanics, along with the California Community Foundation and Los Angeles Universal Preschool, will address educators and community leaders at a briefing this morning to reveal key findings and recommendations. by Marketwire March 19, 2007 [More Results from Sys-Con Media]
Is your baby playing with its toes yet? If not the government wants to know why Babies will be assessed on their gurgling, babbling and toe-playing abilities when they are a few months old under a legally enforced national curriculum for children from birth to five published by the government yesterday. When children enter compulsory schooling, they should be able to read simple sentences using a phonics-based approach, count reliably up to 10 and sing simple songs from memory, as well as respecting others' beliefs and learning to share and take turns. by Lucy Ward March 14, 2007 [More Results from Guardian Unlimited (UK)]
Vermont asks, "What is Universal Preschool's Real-World Record?" Evidence from performance on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), which is considered the nation's report card, shows no evidence of academic gain from U-Pre-K. What results have these programs garnered for mainstream children? Apart from a lack of academic benefit, a study of the Quebec program by the C.D. Howe Institute showed a detrimental impact on children emotionally. by Rob Roper September 14, 2006 [More Results from Freedom Works]
Just Whose Children Are They? With the push across the country for universal pre-school and all-day kindergarten, this article by a home school mom and activist is timely. The Minnesota organization, Ready4K, has a clone in every state. It was that time of year when the government rounds up all the preschool age children they can find in order to screen them for school readiness. My friends grandson went through this assembly line process only to be labeled unprepared for kindergarten. The reason? He could not adequately stand on one foot and he did not give the predetermined answer to a question. When shown a ball and asked what it was, the boy replied that it was a sphere with air in it. by Karen Bryant January 16, 2006 [More Results from Ed Action]
Early Childhood Early Childhood Articles/Research Head Start helps poor, disadvantaged children narrow a gap in reading skills compared with other preschoolers, but the program doesn't help them catch up in math or their ability to comprehend what people say to them. July 25, 2005 [More Results from ParentDirectedEducation.org]
Three-year-olds 'face criminal risk test' Children as young as three should be targeted as potential criminals, according to a leaked government report. The Home Office study suggested nursery staff should be trained to spot tots at risk of becoming criminals when they grow up. The publication said that infants not "under control" by the age of three were four times more likely to be convicted of a criminal offence once they reached maturity, according to a report in the Sunday Times. The 250-page report by the Home Office strategy unit, entitled Crime Reduction Review, was drawn up to identify the most effective ways of cutting crime by 2008. by Helene Mulholland June 13, 2005 [More Results from Guardian Unlimited (UK)]
Opinion: Redwood City School District There's no free preschool The Mercury News reported Feb. 15 that parents in the Redwood City School District will get the first shot at enrolling their children in the county's first "free" preschool classes. Whether one is philosophically in favor or opposed to the concept of universal preschool, selling the idea that it is "free" is misleading at best. Property owners and taxpayers of other venues know who will be footing the bill for those "free" preschools while organized educators statewide are crying to Sacramento for even more money. by Mary Thompson February 17, 2005 [More Results from The Mercury News - [free subscription required]]
Quotes and References from Early Childhood Testimony Head Start - "Once the children enter school there is little difference between the scores of Head Start and control children. . . Findings for the individual cognitive measures--intelligence, readiness and achievement--reflect the same trends as the global measure. . . By the end of the second year there are no educationally meaningful differences on any of the measures." by Karen R. Effrem, MD October 20, 2003 [More Results from Ed Watch]
Drumbeat Grows for Universal Preschool OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - The "Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Act," still in committee in the Oklahoma State Senate at this writing, could be brought before the full Senate and House some time this year. This bill is based on the Governor's Task Force on Early Childhood Education/Care report of December 2000, which pro-family activists characterize as "nothing less than a blueprint for a state-run child care, health care and education system for Oklahoma children from the womb through age five." April 24, 2002 [More Results from Ed Watch]

  1