PreK: Why?

How important is pre-k to my child?

You already know that a good start on a quality education is important for your children, but you might not know how critically important it is. Ages 3 and 4 are when some of a child’s most important brain growth and development takes place. Thirty years of research shows that a high quality preschool experience prepares children to learn when they enter Kindergarten and leads to increased standardized test scores and higher high school graduation rates. The National Institute for Early Education Research (www.nieer.org) has documented that access to preschool for economically disadvantaged children yields tremendous long term financial benefits. The same research demonstrates that children from middle class and wealthier families can significantly benefit from preschool.

You can find a summary of some of the major research results here: www.publicpolicyforum.org/matrix.htm

What are the components of a quality pre-k program?

Place (facility) , People (staff) and Practice (curriculum). A quality Pre-K program takes place in a safe and inviting facility with access to appropriate equipment, material and supplies. Quality people includes staff with expertise and experience who are trained in early childhood development or are supervised by certified teachers. Quality practice includes a curriculum that encourages a child’s exploration and creativity while the child interacts with other children. You can find the established learning goals for children entering Kindergarten in Vermont at http://education.vermont.gov/new/pdfdoc/pgm_earlyed/pubs/vels_poster.pdf .

Two ways we measure high quality Pre-K programs are through accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) (www.naeyc.org) or certification by the Step Ahead Recognition System (STARS) of the Vermont Department of Children and Families (www.starsstepahead.org). If your childcare provider has a four or five star rating, you should have a quality preschool program.