Choosing a High-Quality Preschool

Choosing A High-Quality Preschool

A new study by the RAND Corporation finds that a majority of California's children are in preschools that fall short on key measures that are important for preparing kids for kindergarten. To find a high-quality preschool in your community, focus your search in three areas – people, program and place.

Here are a few of the things you should look for:

What kind of training and education do the teachers have?

Are the teachers and kids engaged in conversations?

Can teachers tell you not only what they are doing, but why?

Does the program use a curriculum to guide learning?

Does the program welcome and involve families?

Does the space have separate learning centers (reading, art, dramatic play, writing, etc.) and a well-equipped playground?

For preschools in your area, call the California Child Care Resource & Referral Network at 1.800.543.7793 or visit their website at http://www.rrnetwork.org.

For more information, check out these resources:

Pre-K Now: Finding High Quality Pre-K Checklist
Karen Hill Scott: Choosing a Quality Preschool: The 3 P's
National Association for the Education of Young Children: 10 Signs of a Great Preschool
Preschool California: What is Effective Pre-K?

Research Brief
Fact Sheet: For Parents
PowerPoint Slides
Press Release




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