I MplEMENTING HIGHSCOpE: CANADA Pay Now or Pay Later

Full-Day Kindergarten in Ontario

by Moya Fewson

s there such thing as a “perfect experiences (Pascal, 2009). He put faith place” for children and their in the findings that showed children in I families? What does this perfect high-quality early education programs place look like when you envision it? had a greater chance of graduating high Whom does it serve? What is its school, going to college, avoiding focus? Where is it located? Whose arrests and jail time, and having mean- needs does it take into account? Is it ingful employment. Pascal believed In 2010, Ontario initiated the now province-wide even possible to achieve? policy of universal full-day kindergarten. that dollars invested in the early years Many early childhood educators in would provide a solid economic return Ontario have such a vision. In their through a reduction in future social ate, play-based programs with degreed perfect place, centers provide support service costs. teachers (BAs) and early childhood prenatally, during infancy, early child- The vision of Family Centers with a educators (ECEs) with diplomas (asso- hood, and through the school years, seamless day, caring for children from ciate degrees) working in partnership. and focus on health, nutrition, and out- before birth through elementary school, Children are cared for before and after door experiences. At-home parents morphed into a program for four- and traditional school hours in a school have access to drop-in centers and play- five-year-olds in Ontario. Full-Day building converted for just this purpose, groups. Working parents can send all Kindergarten (FDK) was born. The and school boards are responsible for of their children to one place and feel Provincial government was slated to this care. secure that they are well cared for and fund this program with a $900 million well educated with an inquiry-driven Our best future budget. Offered in high-needs areas curriculum. In this perfect place, pro- In his comprehensive plan of action beginning in the fall of 2010, FDK is grams have a focus on problem solving, for implementing early childhood edu- now fully implemented across the prov- self-regulation, and social and emotion- cation in Ontario, With Our Best Future ince at all socioeconomic levels. al development. Centers are located in in Mind, Charles Pascal referenced the How successful has this program neighborhood schools and are paid for Perry Preschool Project, demonstrating been? It depends on whom you ask. It by tax dollars. All children go to school, how early intervention, especially for seemed like a good idea at the time, but perhaps even beginning at age two, and children in low-income households, not everyone involved with the program are placed in developmentally appropri- improved school performance and life shares Pascal’s commitment to this highscope.org ReSource Spring 2015 13 IlMp EMENTING HIGHSCOpE: CANADA

costs, and some teachers stress that and I truly understand programming for increased funding for FDK has dimin- four-year-olds — better than the teach- ished resources for other important er,” said one. programs. Other staff worry that little The contracts of ECEs don’t include emphasis has been given to curriculum additional planning time, so they cannot and pedagogy in the early years. contribute to the programming for the The “ideal partnership” anticipated day, and they aren’t part of the evalua- between teachers and ECEs, it turns out, tion process. Unlike teachers, whose is often not so ideal. Although some contracts are permanent, ECEs have teaching teams work very well, they’re renewed contracts and are laid off dur- always hierarchal. Early childhood edu- ing the summer. Perhaps most discour- cators, many of whom are well trained aging of all, there is no career ladder and have a solid background in the for early childhood educators. In child developmental needs of the children in care centers, they could be promoted Proponents of Pascal’s plan believe strongly that their care, find themselves in an assis- all the way up to director. But once in early intervention improves school performance and life experiences. tant role. Those who used to plan group the school system as an ECE in the activities and implement the COR now FDKs, without further education, that’s clean tables and fill paint pots. “I have where they top out. vision of a perfect place for children a lot of training in child development. and their families. I am an endorsed HighScope teacher For schools, a mixed blessing S ome communities, to be sure, are delighted with FDK. The infusion of four- and five-year-olds has kept schools with declining enrollment from closing. Teachers and their unions are also happy: Jobs have been maintained and created. Capital funding has been pro- vided to schools to upgrade playgrounds and make classrooms more suitable for younger children. Funding has been provided by the provincial government to make existing infrastructure more suitable for 4- and 5-year-olds. The vision of Family Centers with a seamless day, caring for children from before birth through elementary school, morphed into a program for four- and five-year-olds in Ontario. Full-Day Kindergarten (FDK) was born.

Other schools are less pleased with the results. The influx of these young children means fewer classrooms in fully-enrolled schools are available to older children. Some of these young- sters have to be bused to schools outside of their community, increasing busing

14 ReSource Spring 2015 highscope.org Many questions unanswered for parents M any parents, of course, are delighted with FDK. They can drop off their children (except for infants and toddlers) in one spot and pick them up in the same place. Community child cares have moved in to fill the need for before- and after-school care (“wrap-around care” — paid for by parents) in the school buildings, which makes life easier for working parents. And all parents are pleased that day care fees have been reduced.

Given that there is no effective assessment tool, and principals don’t have time to routinely observe every classroom, how do they know that the program

really is play-based? The cost of implementation has far exceeded the proposed budget, leading some to call for an end to full-day kindergarten in Ontario.

But some have expressed concern far exceeds the proposed budget. Don to the study, there appears to be no about children so young being away Drummond, an advisor brought in by academic advantage to FDK past first from home. Their children are exhaust- the McGinty government to fix the grade (Ministry of Education, 2013). The ed, these parents say, and overworked. increasing provincial debt, recommend- program is too new to evaluate whether They worry that overworked staff can’t ed cancellation of the FDK program. children will regain any advantage as always attend to individual children’s In response to Ontario’s budgetary they progress through school, or what needs. Of great concern for both parents woes, other provinces have delayed the long-term effects in areas other than and teachers is that there is no cap on implementation of their own programs. academics may be. In 2014, third graders numbers for FDK. Four- and five-year- But the most important questions is, from the original cohort in FDK took olds are in the same group, which may has this program supported children? the standardized academic achievement be considerable in size — perhaps 40 Has it, as Charles Pascal envisioned, test for the first time. The results of this children — often in a small space. This “changed lives”? A recent government one test could be viewed by some as an leaves many teachers frustrated, and study has found that children who indicator of the success or failure of the with this many children in one space, attended FDK are indeed stronger in FDK program. parents wonder whether the curriculum reading and communication at the But it’s not just academic perfor- can be implemented properly. Given beginning of first grade (Ministry of mance that has failed to meet expecta- that there is no effective assessment Education, 2013). Children did, in fact, tions. Although its original focus was to tool, and principals don’t have time to do better on academic testing in read- be on social and emotional development routinely observe every classroom, how ing, writing, and math. However, that and self-regulation, it’s unclear whether do they know that the program really is data is based on children in full-day children in FDK are better prepared to play-based? kindergarten compared to half-day make decisions, reflect on those deci- Here and now: taxpayers lament programs, and doesn’t consider whether sions, negotiate, compromise, or problem- high cost of FDK children have gone to high-quality early solve. Perhaps that’s because there is no E ven if parents are generally happy education programs or not. assessment in place to determine if the with the FDK program, as taxpayers, That said, the benefits of FDK seem program really is “inquiry driven.” they are not. The $1.3 billion price tag to diminish over time, and according

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educators have the training required to pay-now approach, we can provide par- implement a truly enriched program. enting centers, enlist school boards to Children are not always engaged in run wrap-around care, and provide the inquiry learning and play-based experi- training to create truly appropriate, ences, as teachers often fall back on inquiry-based learning that is evaluated traditional, teacher-directed programs. and assessed. All too often, these teacher-directed programs require children to sit still, use work sheets, and answer in rote — tasks With a pay-now we know are inappropriate for little chil- approach, we can dren. Time-out is still common, leaving little opportunity for learning problem- provide parenting solving skills and self-regulation. Plan- centers, enlist school ning is seldom a part of the daily routine. boards to run wrap- Children spend much more time being around care, and quiet — and at such a sensitive time for provide the training to learning language — than they would in a true active-learning environment. And create truly appropriate, they continue to be educated for jobs inquiry-based learning that no longer exist. In many ways, our that is evaluated and billions of dollars haven’t changed much assessed. With results forthcoming, the original full-day cohort at all. took the standardized academic achievement test for the first time, in 2014. But perhaps instead of fretting over the cost of an ideal program, we should This is not likely to be a popular consider it an investment, and instead I t will be more interesting to take a option with tax payers, unfortunately. of cutting costs, perhaps we should pay look 50 years from now and ask if this Both the Conservative Party and the more to get the quality that advocates experience made a real difference in the New Democratic Party have stated that like Charles Pascal intended. With a lives of these children. Was there an economic return? Did more complete high school and own their own homes? Some worry that 4- and 5-year-olds are too young to spend a full day at school, while working parents especially Did fewer go to jail? Did the FDK pro- are thrilled with the ease of service and fee reductions. gram replicate the outstanding results of the Perry Preschool Study? We can’t answer those questions now. So what to make of all these contrasting opinions? Certainly the idea, and the ideal, of a program for children that supports families is a wonderful thing. With one of the highest percentages of women in the workforce of any country, it is unlikely that many women (or men) in Canada will leave the workplace to stay home with their children (OECD, 2013). Clearly, child care is a need for many. The ideal child care solution would likely include some, if not all, of the elements in Pascal’s original vision. The vision and the reality FD K as implemented in Ontario has not yet matched the original vision of Family Centers. Although there are excellent teachers doing wonderful things with and for children, not all

16 ReSource Spring 2015 highscope.org they will dismantle FDK if elected. Moya Fewson was formerly the People continue to scrimp today (lower coordinator of the Early Childhood taxes, save money) rather than taking Education program at Sheridan the longer view of what will happen College in Ontario. She is a certified tomorrow with higher social service HighScope trainer who co-authored costs and a less equitable society. Either Lesson Plans for the First Thirty Days we pay now, or we pay later. with Beth Marshall and Shannon Perhaps there is a middle road. Lockhart. Moya received the David Canada, like the US, does not have a Weikart Award in 2008. Upon retir- national child care policy. It needs one. ing from Sheridan, she began the A national policy modeled on Quebec’s, HighScope Teacher Education Centre for instance, could fund programs that in Canada. are licensed and regulated at a reason- able cost. Quebec runs highly effective, References: parent-friendly early childhood centers. Government of Ontario, Ministry of Some use HighScope certified teachers A willingness to spend more today could save Education. (2013). A meta-perspective and trainers implementing the High- money in the future with a reduction in social on the evaluation of full-day kinder- Scope Curriculum. Although not uni- service costs. garten during the first two years of versal as originally planned, child care implementation. Retrieved from centers offer early education to all chil- dens all have to be part of the equation, http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/kindergar- dren, not just those in economic need, to be sure. But the real purpose here is ten/FDKReport2013.pdf at $7 per day. Of course, this program to provide an equitable foundation for Organization for Economic Cooperation too is being investigated — not because all Canadians, starting at birth. That and Development. (2013). Employ- it hasn’t been effective, but because it won’t be cheap, but it’s worth it. ment rate of women % of female costs money. As an engrained part of HighScope conducted the seminal population (15-64). Quebec’s culture, though, this program research on the effects of quality early doi: 10.1787/20752342-table5 seems like it’s here to stay — unlike intervention for at-risk children in the Pascal, C. E. (2009). With our best our own in Ontario. Perry Preschool Project. We are thank- future in mind: implementing early ful to have champions like Charles learning in Ontario. Retrieved Pascal, who believe early education is from YWCA Canada website: If we are able to bring so important that it’s worth paying for. http://ywcacanada.ca/data/research_ FDK in line with Pascal’s In 50 years, we as a society hope to docs/00000001.pdf vision, Ontario...could reap the benefits of early education, both academically and economically. soon possess an early More importantly, and what is certain, education model worthy individuals and their families, with our of national emulation. support, can begin reaping those bene- fits now.

Even if we don’t choose to follow Quebec’s model, we in Ontario will need to make a decision soon. The failure of FDK to meet ideal standards in just four years is no reason to scrap that model altogether. It’s far from perfect, but if we are able to bring FDK in line with C enter for Early Pascal’s vision, Ontario itself could soon possess an early education model Education Evaluation worthy of national emulation. The Center for Early Education Evaluation The benefit of paying now (CEEE) is the research and evaluation arm A s HighScope practitioners, we cele- of HighScope. The CEEE provides rigorous impact evaluations, instrument brate the original vision. We celebrate validity research, and comprehensive evaluation consultations to states and children. Jobs and wages and tax bur- provider agencies. Visit highscope.org/ceee to learn more.

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