KC schools to act quickly on president's preschool proposal
Lewis DiuguidPresident Barack Obama in his State of the Union message Tuesday said he wanted to expand preschool programs to include more children.
Kansas City Public Schools officials wasted no time proposing Wednesday night a radical expansion in early childhood programs. Growing the preschool program in the next school year would also help the district in its overall enrollment.
“Study after study shows that the sooner a child begins learning, the better he or she does down the road,” Obama said Tuesday night. “But today, fewer than 3 in 10 four year-olds are enrolled in a high-quality preschool program.
“Most middle-class parents can’t afford a few hundred bucks a week for private preschool. And for poor kids who need help the most, this lack of access to preschool education can shadow them for the rest of their lives.
“Tonight, I propose working with states to make high-quality preschool available to every child in America. Every dollar we invest in high-quality early education can save more than seven dollars later on – by boosting graduation rates, reducing teen pregnancy, even reducing violent crime.
“In states that make it a priority to educate our youngest children, like Georgia or Oklahoma, studies show students grow up more likely to read and do math at grade level, graduate high school, hold a job, and form more stable families of their own. So let’s do what works, and make sure none of our children start the race of life already behind.
“Let’s give our kids that chance.”
Matt Henry
3 months agoYes, by all means lets throw a few more billion dollars at this and absolve parents of any responsibility to educate their children.
“Participation in Head Start has positive effects on children’s learning while they are in the program, but most of the advantage they gain disappears by the end of 1st grade….”
Who says so? The Department of Health and Human Services….
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/01/14/18headstart.h29.html
George Hunsucker
Northland
3 months agoMatt, Matt, Matt… you’re letting FACTS come into play again. zero wants this program, despite the lack of money, and that’s that!!!!
It sure is surprising that KC, which cannot even educate its present students, would jump on the give me more money bandwagon. Why, that would be more jobs and union dues, wouldn’t it?????