Open the Preschool Door, Close the Preparation Gap
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Policy Report September 2004 Open the Preschool Door, Close the Preparation Gap By Sara Mead ecades of research have produced reams of compelling evidence that pre- school is a sound public investment. Children who attend prekindergarten Dprograms that prepare them to read and build cognitive, verbal, and social skills go on to do measurably better in school and life than their peers who do not. They score higher on academic achievement tests, they get better jobs, and they are less likely to become dependent on welfare or engage in criminal activity. These trends are particularly noticeable among disadvantaged children. When those factors were taken into account, studies of high-quality preschool experiments in Michigan and North Carolina found that investments in preschool delivered a seven-to-one return over time. So, if preschool is such a good investment, half from the most disadvantaged families—47 why does America today have only a patch- percent—had ever attended preschool, includ- work early education system that allows many ing Head Start or daycare centers. In contrast, children—particularly poor and minority chil- 59 percent of non-poor children, and 65 per- dren—to fall through the cracks? More than cent of those from the most affluent families, 60 percent of children under 6 (and a higher attended preschool. So the problem is two-fold: proportion of 3 and 4-year-olds) spend at least Too many children who need it do not attend some time in childcare. But many are in daycare preschool, and even many who do attend pre- arrangements that amount to little more than school are not learning as much as they should. babysitting. Other programs purport to be pre- The result is a significant preparation gap school, but in fact have unqualified teachers and between poor and middle-class children, and minimal academic focus. This is a tremendous between minority and white children.1 Teach- missed opportunity, and one that has the worst ers say one-quarter of kindergarten students consequences for poor and minority children. lack basic social, motor, academic, and emotional Poor children—those who most need additional skills.2 And while two-thirds of all entering learning opportunities—are actually the least kindergarteners can recognize letters of the likely to attend preschool. Among children en- alphabet, only 39 percent of the most disadvan- tering kindergarten in fall 1998, less than one- taged children can. Similar gaps exist between Sara Mead is a policy analyst with the Progressive Policy Institute’s 21st Century Schools Project. white and black or Hispanic children, and in of preschoolers and lack resources or funding cognitive areas that are important for children’s to keep up with demand.8 Further, many early school readiness, including math, health, social childhood programs focus as much on provid- skills, and attitudes toward learning.3 The im- ing daycare as education. They simply do not pact of these differences is staggering; children include the intense early learning activities dis- in the highest socioeconomic quintile score 61 advantaged children need to close the school percent higher on tests of cognitive skills than preparation gap with their peers. Despite mak- those in the lowest quintile.4 And researchers ing significant improvements, children in Head estimate that these preparation gaps account Start still leave the program far below the na- for one-half of the dramatic academic achieve- tional average in key skill areas.9 ment differences that exist between black and The passage of the No Child Left Behind white students later in their schooling—a gap (NCLB) Act marked a sweeping federal effort that, on average, to ensure that all children reach high standards is the equivalent in their K-12 education. Now it is time for an “The passage of the No to four grade lev- equally bold national initiative to make sure every Child Left Behind Act els by the time of child enters school ready to learn. In an age marked a sweeping federal high-school when learning is more closely linked than ever effort to ensure that all graduation.5 to economic success, a serious commitment to children reach high Policymakers equality of opportunity demands that our soci- cannot afford to ety guarantee children in low-income and work- standards in their K-12 squander the ing families the same access to quality early education. Now it is time opportunity to learning that affluent families enjoy. for an equally bold provide all chil- Achieving this progressive goal will require national initiative to make dren—particu- a new partnership between the federal govern- sure every child enters larly disadvan- ment and the states. Washington should make a school ready to learn.” taged children— substantial new investment in early learning, but the chance to rather than impose a one-size-fits-all template, attend high- federal policymakers should leave it to the states quality preschool programs that prepare them to design their own programs. This should not to succeed in school and life. Yet, the problem simply mean giving states a blank-check block is not a lack of concern for young children. In grant, as the Bush administration has proposed 2004, the federal government spent nearly for Head Start. Instead, federal early childhood $8 billion on Head Start—its flagship pre- investments need to be expanded, but also made school program for poor children—and other more accountable. Our goal should be a perfor- early childhood education programs, and states mance-based system, where federal funding is spent billions of additional federal dollars on contingent on both state compliance with broad childcare under the Temporary Assistance for quality standards and demonstrated progress Needy Families (TANF) and Childcare Devel- toward closing the preschool preparation gap. opment Fund (CDF) programs to support wel- By linking greater public investment to fare reform.6 Meanwhile, 46 states offer some greater accountability for results, we can break type of publicly funded preschool program.7 But the left-right deadlock that has stymied progress these programs simply cannot meet the chal- toward equal access to high-quality early learn- lenge of preparing all children to succeed in ing for all children. Conservatives frequently school. For starters, both Head Start and most bemoan the uneven quality and uncertain out- state programs serve only a small percentage comes of Head Start and other preschool pro- 2 PROGRESSIVE POLICY INSTITUTE grams, but they have been reluctant to spend palatable costs than many preschool support- more to improve quality or serve more chil- ers and opponents estimate. And, despite bud- dren. Liberals, for their part, typically support get crunches, a number of states are leading greater investments in children, but show less the way with promising initiatives to dramati- alacrity when it comes to demanding more aca- cally expand access to preschool. Oklahoma, demic rigor and accountability from preschool Georgia, and New York all have universal programs. Americans deserve better than a prekindergarten programs in place that pro- false choice between quality without investment vide high-quality early learning opportunities to and investment without quality. Ensuring all chil- every 4-year-old whose family wants them. Evalu- dren enter school prepared requires both fund- ations in both Oklahoma and Georgia have found ing, as liberals advocate, and reform, as conser- significant positive impact from these programs, vatives argue. especially for the most disadvantaged children. Unlike elementary and secondary educa- And Floridians passed a referendum in 2002 tion, the federal government provides the ma- requiring that every child in the state be of- jority of public funding for early childhood care fered preschool access by 2005. Nationally, a and education programs. Thus, federal recently formed group, the Trust for Early Edu- policymakers have a unique opportunity to drive cation, has launched a public relations and ad- reform. Washington is also a more likely source vocacy initiative aimed at drawing federal, state, for funding increases needed to stimulate re- local, and private support to make universal form than cash-strapped states. By making smart prekindergarten a reality for all American 4- investments to expand preschool access and year-olds. Yet, despite the growing consensus ensure high quality and outcome standards, that all children deserve a chance to attend policymakers can prepare more children to suc- preschool, that goal is unlikely to be achieved ceed in school and improve returns on current without sustained, catalytic national action. preschool investments. There is no getting around the fact that A Performance-Based Plan universal preschool access is expensive, how- For Universal Preschool ever. PPI estimates that providing high-quality, free preschool for all needy 4-year-olds who In this report, PPI calls for a national com- want it, while subsidizing the costs of making mitment to universal access to quality preschool preschool affordable for working families, would for all 4-year-olds. The system we envision would cost state and federal governments approxi- be built on these key elements: mately $9.2 billion annually. And, while equity and long-term economic benefits suggest the ! New federal investment: The high cost investment will pay off in time, present federal of quality preschool—from $4,000 to $6,000 deficits and state budget crises make such a annually for a 4-year-old—puts it out of significant new initiative a tough sell. reach of low-income families and is a signifi- Nonetheless, there are promising political cant financial strain for middle- and work- signs. New research has drawn attention to the ing-class families.10 As long as preschool re- importance of early learning, and Americans in- mains financially out of reach for a large creasingly recognize the need for children to number of families, quality reforms to exist- receive greater developmental and early aca- ing programs will have limited impact.