Re: Public Pre-school

From: Carmen Adams
Email: tlckids@northnet.net
Date: February 16, 2006

Comments

Hi Kenneth

My state (Wisconsin) has started many free pre-Kindergarten programs with I'm sure more to come. I have heard many horror stories about how it hurt childcare centers and then I have heard some very nice stories about how they collaborated with childcare centers and the children stay in the centers but for this short period of their day they are taught by a DPI licensed teacher. Of course the collaboration theory seems to be the preferable all around since elementary school setting were never created for 4 year olds and 20 -4 year old children in one room with one teacher with no bathroom and lots of transistions is not best for the child.

I agree with Susan's statement earlier that waiting until age 4 may be too late to worry about school readiness. There are many quailifed child care centers who strive for the best for the children they serve and money for better qualified staff and early education programs in these centers starting from birth would be money better spent in my opinion. Carmen