Commentary: Systemic Impact of Universal Pre-Kindergarten

Autor/in	Apple, Peggy L.
Titel	Commentary: Systemic Impact of Universal Pre-Kindergarten
Quelle	In: Early Education and Development, 18 (2007) 4, S.605-608 (4 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1040-9289
Schlagwörter	Stellungnahme; Age; Early Childhood Education; Toddlers; Infants; Program Effectiveness; Kindergarten; Administrator Attitudes; Preschool Education; State Aid; Educational Finance; Educational Quality; Access to Education + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Alter; Lebensalter; Early childhood; Education; Frühkindliche Bildung; Frühpädagogik; Infant; Infants; Toddler; Kleinkind; Toddlers; Pre-school education; Vorschulerziehung; Bildungsfonds; Quality of education; Bildungsqualität; Access; Bildung; Zugang; Bildungszugang
Abstract	Nearly 20 years ago, before e-mails, listservs, and blogs, the author had participated in an intense discussion with a group of early childhood education and care (ECEC) program directors about the pros and cons of publicly funded pre-kindergarten (pre-K). They debated about how universal pre-K (UPK) might impact the cost of infant and toddler care and education in ECEC programs and whether the typical program could afford to continue caring for infants and toddlers without subsidies generated from tuition and fees of preschoolers. The author shares her views on Morrissey, Lekies, and Cochran's (this issue) exploratory study which delves into seeking program administrators' perspectives on the impact of state-funded pre-K education available to a limited number of children. There are two approaches to free pre-K education for all children: "One focuses almost entirely on the pre-kindergarten age group in the public school system" and the other is a "systemic approach [that] aims to increase and combine the investments of state, federal, and private dollars in all forms of early education and care." As the title of Morrissey and colleagues' study suggests by the phrase "systemic impacts," early childhood advocates must be aware of the ripple effect that UPK may have throughout the ECEC system. Morrissey and colleagues support the concept of building a systemic approach that includes not only the programs participating in UPK mixed-delivery approaches, but also the programs that are not delivery sites for UPK. Furthermore, they remind people of the early childhood trilemma that requires equal attention to the quality, affordability, and accessibility of education and care for children aged birth through pre-K. Market forces impact the quality, cost to families, number of slots, and location of programs. When public funding is available for one segment of the early childhood market, the entire early childhood system is impacted by the increased funding. Early childhood advocates and policymakers must develop and evaluate UPK initiatives utilizing a systems perspective. The discourse must continue to be informed by research and the voices of all the stakeholders, as society pursues methods to provide quality out-of-home experiences for all the youngest citizens, including infants and toddlers. (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Lawrence Erlbaum. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/default.html
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10