Catherine Hazelton is currently Associate Director of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California. She is a former legislative staffer and holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley.
Preschool came to the State Capitol Monday afternoon, as UC Berkeley Professor David Kirp gathered three dozen legislative staffers for story hour, discussing his latest work, The Sandbox Investment – The Preschool Movement and Kids-first Politics.
Instead of being brought to you, in Sesame Street fashion, by the letter and number of the day, the event was sponsored by Senator Bob Margett and Assemblymember Dave Jones and hosted by the bi-partisan, anti-crime organization Fight Crime: Invest In Kids California, of which I am Associate Director.
Professor Kirp delivered on two promises: that no one would have to sit “criss-cross, applesauce,” at this Capitol version of circle time, and that he’d enlighten us all with success stories and cautionary tales from other states that have attempted to expand and improve preschool.
Professor Kirp shared inspiring examples of states like Oklahoma, which arguably has the most effective preschool system in the nation, and as a result has made stunning academic gains, especially among English language learners. He also warned of efforts such as Florida’s, which tried to do preschool “on the cheap” with the expected lackluster results. As Kirp’s state-by-state account of the movement to expand and improve preschool shows, we cannot build an effective preschool system that yields strong developmental and academic outcomes for kids without investing in quality.
In order for preschools to be effective in getting children ready to succeed in school, they must have the resources to build comprehensive programs staffed by child development professionals equipped to address the social, emotional and learning needs of preschoolers. Teachers should also be trained to screen children for child abuse and neglect and development problems, and then provide linkages to services and treatment. Unless we want to end up like Florida, it is essential that California strengthen teacher qualifications by raising standards and providing professional development opportunities. At the same time, there must be adequate compensation so we can attract and retain effective teachers.
These educators should also have the time, training and materials required to provide families with the tools they need to ensure that learning taking place in the classroom continues at home. Lawmakers can help by looking for ways to provide incentives and opportunities to maximize parental involvement.
The more than 350 sheriffs, police chiefs and district attorneys who make up Fight Crime: Invest In Kids California know from years of on-the-job experience that being smart on crime means investing in kids today so they don’t become criminals tomorrow. Effective preschools are among our most powerful weapons against crime because preschool is a sure investment in school success. When children attend effective pre-kindergarten programs, they do better in school, are more likely to graduate from high school, get a job, earn more money, and yes, they are far less likely to become involved in crime. This benefits all of California.
The evidence isn’t just anecdotal. Ninety-five percent of California kindergarten teachers said that children who attended preschool are better prepared to start and succeed in school. Decades of scientific research show preschool programs later result in lower drug use, higher graduation rates, fewer families receiving welfare, and lower crime.
But only high-caliber preschool can yield these results. Yet, despite all we know about the far-reaching dividends of investing in preschool, California still lags far behind other states in both the quality and breadth of its pre-k system.
In fact, thousands of California’s children are denied access to early learning programs due to lack of adequate programs and facilities. Seventy-six percent of public preschools have waiting lists and are forced to turn away low-income children. As a result, less than half of the state’s 3- and 4-year-olds attend preschool programs, and many of those programs are not of sufficient quality.
We should begin by making effective preschool programs available to all children, starting with those who will benefit most, which may include low-income children, those in low-performing school attendance areas, and English language learners.
We should also increase the number of facilities available for use as preschool classrooms. Even if the state funded every child to attend preschool, one in five would lack access due to limited classroom space. This limited access to effective preschool compromises the future of young children and threatens public safety. Lawmakers should consider opportunities such as future education facilities bonds to increase the number of available preschool classrooms.
In order for preschool to be truly accessible to working parents, the state must provide funding and remove barriers to enable full-day wrap-around child care for the hours before and after preschool. The state should also collect data on preschool programs, teachers, and enrolled children and use these data to assess needs and capacity.
Finally, there should be a means for evaluating programs, providing higher compensation to those with strong ratings and support services to those with weaker ratings. These ratings should be available publicly in order to assist parents in preschool selection and utilize market forces to improve the effectiveness of preschools.
Fortunately, we can look to other states like Oklahoma and West Virginia, longitudinal research like the Perry Preschool and Chicago Child Care Center studies and upcoming new reports from the RAND Corporation to gauge where we are and where we need to go with preschool in California.
We know that it’s fiscally sound to invest in less costly preventive measures like effective preschool now, rather than far more expensive punitive ones later. We know that California families need and want access to effective preschool for their children. By investing wisely in preschool today, we can build a better future for our kids, our schools and this state. If we’re serious about fulfilling the promise of preschool the time has come for us to stop talking, and raise our hands – in support.
