High-Quality Preschool Education Matters

Preschool education programs play an increasingly vital role in child development and school readiness. There is growing awareness that early learning’s impacts persist across a child’s life spans, affecting adult earning, educational achievement, and crime and delinquency. Preschool education is increasingly seen as a middle income essential. In 2005, two-thirds of 4-year-olds and more than 40 percent of 3-year-olds were enrolled in a preschool education program, representing a substantial increase over earlier decades, particularly at age 4. Preschool education program participation in the United States has increased steadily for many decades. Today, the vast majority of children spend time in a classroom before they enter kindergarten. In effect, many children attend “school” for one or even two years before they enter kindergarten. This represents a profound change in American education. ¹

We know that in the US, the preschool participation picture is complex and dynamic, with children attending a patchwork quilt of public and private programs and that long-term increases in pre-K participation owe as much to increased demand for education as increased demand for child care. Evidence indicates the increase in enrollment has not reached all segments of the population equally and there are variations in participation rates regionally within the U.S. In 2005, more than 40 percent of 3-year-olds and nearly 70 percent of 4-year-olds attended “school”. ¹

For more than two decades the overwhelming majority of American children begun school no later than age 5, and kindergarten is widely seen as the first year of school. Today, two-thirds of today’s children begin school at age 4, though the vast majority do not attend public school. At both 3 and 4, children attend a patchwork of public and private programs that go by a variety of names including: preschool, prekindergarten, 4-year-old kindergarten (4K), Head Start, child care, day care, and nursery school. The term “preschool” or “pre-K” now represent educational, center-based programs.

The many names for programs children attend reflect the dual purposes of pre-K programs. The federal government provides Head Start to children in poverty. State and local education agencies offer preschool and prekindergarten programs and private for-profit, nonprofit, and faith-based organizations operate programs under all of these names. These programs vary in the extent to which they are designed to meet the educational needs of young children and the child care needs of parents. Thus, it cannot be assumed that either education or child care needs are adequately met just because child is enrolled in some program.

Although pre-K programs can serve both education and care purposes well, they do not always do so. First, families vary in their child care needs and many families desire a good education for their child, but do not seek long hours of child care in a classroom setting. Some programs specialize in serving children in these families. Second, the educational effectiveness and hours of a program both increase its costs. Thus, government agencies, private organizations, and families paying for preschool education programs may trade educational quality for hours of care when they need long hours of care. The extent to which programs emphasize education or hours of care is often reflected in program names. Programs called child care and day care generally are designed to meet the needs of working parents, providing as many as 10 hours per day and even offering weekend and evening hours in some cases. Preschool, prekindergarten and nursery school programs tend to emphasize their educational aspects and may offer each child as little as two to three hours per day, for two or three days a week. Head Start is a child development program that provides a broad range of services to meet the educational and other needs of young children in poverty and their families.

Despite these generalizations, program names are not a highly reliable guide to either educational effectiveness or hours of care. Nearly all classrooms for young children are considered to offer education by the providers and parents. Child care programs can deliver an effective education and provide long hours of care, given sufficient resources. Some state education agency preschool education programs operate up to 10 hours per day and many offer wraparound care to extend hours. Head Start programs can be part day or full-day and offer wrap-around care. Educational quality varies considerably under every name.

A substantial body of research finds that high-quality preschool education can enhance a child’s learning and development. These improvements in learning and development, in turn, can have far reaching consequences including: increased educational attainment, increased employment and earnings, less delinquency and crime, and even improved health related behaviors. ²

Endnotes

1 Pérez & Zarate (2006). Barnett,W.S. & Yarosz, D.J. (2004).Who goes to preschool and why does it matter? Preschool Policy Matters, Issue 8. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research.

2 Barnett,W.S. (2004). Better teachers, better preschools: Student achievement linked to teacher qualifications. Preschool Policy Matters, Issue 2. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research. Espinosa, L.M. (2002). High-quality preschool:Why we need it and what it looks like. Preschool Policy Matters, Issue 1. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research.


Home Funzone Fun Club VPK Four's Three's Two's Kindergarten & First Grade St. Lucie County's VPK Kidzone's Philosophy Special Activities Summer Camp Testimonials Enrollment Info Contact Us Kidzone Academy Map Quick Connect Kidzone Preschool Academy 500 SW Bethany Drive Port St. Lucie, Florida 34986 Call: 772-340-3440	High-Quality Preschool Education Matters Preschool education programs play an increasingly vital role in child development and school readiness. There is growing awareness that early learning’s impacts persist across a child’s life spans, affecting adult earning, educational achievement, and crime and delinquency. Preschool education is increasingly seen as a middle income essential. In 2005, two-thirds of 4-year-olds and more than 40 percent of 3-year-olds were enrolled in a preschool education program, representing a substantial increase over earlier decades, particularly at age 4. Preschool education program participation in the United States has increased steadily for many decades. Today, the vast majority of children spend time in a classroom before they enter kindergarten. In effect, many children attend “school” for one or even two years before they enter kindergarten. This represents a profound change in American education. ¹ We know that in the US, the preschool participation picture is complex and dynamic, with children attending a patchwork quilt of public and private programs and that long-term increases in pre-K participation owe as much to increased demand for education as increased demand for child care. Evidence indicates the increase in enrollment has not reached all segments of the population equally and there are variations in participation rates regionally within the U.S. In 2005, more than 40 percent of 3-year-olds and nearly 70 percent of 4-year-olds attended “school”. ¹ For more than two decades the overwhelming majority of American children begun school no later than age 5, and kindergarten is widely seen as the first year of school. Today, two-thirds of today’s children begin school at age 4, though the vast majority do not attend public school. At both 3 and 4, children attend a patchwork of public and private programs that go by a variety of names including: preschool, prekindergarten, 4-year-old kindergarten (4K), Head Start, child care, day care, and nursery school. The term “preschool” or “pre-K” now represent educational, center-based programs. The many names for programs children attend reflect the dual purposes of pre-K programs. The federal government provides Head Start to children in poverty. State and local education agencies offer preschool and prekindergarten programs and private for-profit, nonprofit, and faith-based organizations operate programs under all of these names. These programs vary in the extent to which they are designed to meet the educational needs of young children and the child care needs of parents. Thus, it cannot be assumed that either education or child care needs are adequately met just because child is enrolled in some program. Although pre-K programs can serve both education and care purposes well, they do not always do so. First, families vary in their child care needs and many families desire a good education for their child, but do not seek long hours of child care in a classroom setting. Some programs specialize in serving children in these families. Second, the educational effectiveness and hours of a program both increase its costs. Thus, government agencies, private organizations, and families paying for preschool education programs may trade educational quality for hours of care when they need long hours of care. The extent to which programs emphasize education or hours of care is often reflected in program names. Programs called child care and day care generally are designed to meet the needs of working parents, providing as many as 10 hours per day and even offering weekend and evening hours in some cases. Preschool, prekindergarten and nursery school programs tend to emphasize their educational aspects and may offer each child as little as two to three hours per day, for two or three days a week. Head Start is a child development program that provides a broad range of services to meet the educational and other needs of young children in poverty and their families. Despite these generalizations, program names are not a highly reliable guide to either educational effectiveness or hours of care. Nearly all classrooms for young children are considered to offer education by the providers and parents. Child care programs can deliver an effective education and provide long hours of care, given sufficient resources. Some state education agency preschool education programs operate up to 10 hours per day and many offer wraparound care to extend hours. Head Start programs can be part day or full-day and offer wrap-around care. Educational quality varies considerably under every name. A substantial body of research finds that high-quality preschool education can enhance a child’s learning and development. These improvements in learning and development, in turn, can have far reaching consequences including: increased educational attainment, increased employment and earnings, less delinquency and crime, and even improved health related behaviors. ² Endnotes 1 Pérez & Zarate (2006). Barnett,W.S. & Yarosz, D.J. (2004).Who goes to preschool and why does it matter? Preschool Policy Matters, Issue 8. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research. 2 Barnett,W.S. (2004). Better teachers, better preschools: Student achievement linked to teacher qualifications. Preschool Policy Matters, Issue 2. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research. Espinosa, L.M. (2002). High-quality preschool:Why we need it and what it looks like. Preschool Policy Matters, Issue 1. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research.
Kidzone Preschool Academy provides Port Saint Lucie, Fort Pierce, Martin and St. Lucie County parents the resources to care for and mentor their preschool children in a safe, clean and well maintained environment. The premiere St. Lucie County preschool and nursery, Kidzone Preschool Academy provides top quality daycare, nursery, and prekindergarten services from its Port St. Lucie facilities. Kidzone Preschool Academy brings the best of the best in preschool education to Port St. Lucie, Florida.
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