Week 7, Assignment 2

This week I did further research on Early Childhood Education and its benefits. I included two websites and one peer reviewed article from the Early Childhood Research and Practice Journal. The Pre-Kindergarten program at the school I work at was cut last week. It was replaced with a new ETK program; the websites I listed is from the state of California explaining the new TK program.  The search path I took to locate them was to go to http://www.google.ca/advanced_search, and type in Transitional Kindergarten.  This is where found the two websites explaining the programs, and answering all questions. The article I listed I found in oajse.com, I clicked on “Education”, and went to #46 Early Childhood Research and Practice. I believe the two websites are credible because they are part of the California government, and the Early Childhood Research and Practice Journal is a peer reviewed journal.  These websites and article address the importance of Early Childhood Education. There is a question that remains unanswered; I would like to know how much the School District is saving on cutting these programs.

Research question:

Does cutting Early Childhood Education help the district’s budget, or does it setup our children for failure?

 

Ansari, Arya; Winsler, Adam. Journal of Educational Psychology. Nov2014, Vol. 106 Issue 4, p1066-1079 Montessori Public School Pre-K Programs and the School Readiness of Low-Income Black and Latino Children.  Retrieved from: https://eds-a-ebscohost-com.libproxy.chapman.edu/ehost/command/detail?vid=10&sid=9a616a57-518a-4f22-93a2-0c0c951eb10f%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4105&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLHVpZCxjb29raWUsdXJsJnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=99764866&db=aph

The Journal of Educational Psychology states the importance of a good quality Pre-K program for young children. The study conducted on Low-Income Black and Latino children proved that all children made gains in areas of cognitive, language, and motor skills when attending public school pre-K programs, regardless of curriculum. The study found that Latino children excelled in Montessori program, these children entered the program at risk of school failure. The study also found that Black children did not benefit from the Montessori program. The Montessori philosophy might not benefit all low-income children equally.

 

 

 

 

Bartik, Timothy, J. (2011) Investigating in Kids: Early Childhood Programs and Local Economic

Development. Retrieved from https://eds-a-ebscohost-

com.libproxy.chapman.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzQxMzIyNV9fQU41?sid=59df

4b8e-8b4f-47d2-a3db-04f2afd6ecb8@sessionmgr4005&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_391&rid=0

 

The book Investigating in Kids: Early Childhood Programs and Local Economic Development touches the subject of the importance of early childhood education.  Timothy Bartik explains in his book the benefits of high quality pre-k programs result in reduction in crime, when they get older. I am interested to learn more on how Federal-and state-subsidized child care serves more than 2 million children per year.  If we provide our young children with tools to overcome learning obstacles, we will prepare them with self confidence that they will use for a lifetime. There was a study done in Chicago, the Chicago Child-Parent Center Program did a study that proved as of ages 20 and 21 the CPC program reduced the percentage of high school dropouts by 11 percent. The author’s conclusion is that high quality early childhood programs can provide a state’s residents with substantial economic benefits.

 

Hatcher, Beth; Nuner, Joyce; Paulsel, Jean. Early Childhood Research and Practice Journal Fall 2012 Volume 14 Number 2. Kindergarten Readiness and Preschools: Teachers’ and Parents’ Beliefs and Across Programs. Retrieved from http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v14n2/hatcher.html

This article states that chronological age, developmental stage, specific academic and social skills, and home/school connections are associated with readiness. Readiness programs have changed from play based to academic module. This new approach increases readiness of children for kindergarten in social/emotional and academic aspects. Children will enter kindergarten having some familiarity with print, letter and sound recognition, and beginning writing skills. It is important for children to learn certain behaviors in pre-kindergarten such as following rules and routines, taking turns, and communicating personal needs and feelings.

 

Lloyd,David; Joseph, Larry. Early Childhood Research and Practice Journal. Fall 2013 Volume 15 Number2

Retrieved from: http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v15n2/lloyd.html

 

The Early Childhood Prevention Initiative Program was established in 1989, this program was created in order to provide at-risk children access to a preschool education. This program also provides family support services for at-risk children less than 3 years of age and their families. This kind of support is needed not only in Illinois, but all over the country. In 1989 when the ECBG (Early Childhood Block Grant) first started 8% was used to serve children under the age of 3. Legislation enacted (Public Act 96-0423) requires raising the set-aside by at least 20% by 2015. This article helps me better understand that not only are the Early Childhood Programs in my city in danger, but that there are similar issues all over the country.

 

 

Schilder, Diane; Smith Leavell, Ashley. Early Childhood Education Journal. 03 May 2014.

Head Start/ Child Care Partnerships: Program Characteristics and Classroom Quality

Retrieved from: http://link.springer.com.libproxy.chapman.edu/article/10.1007/s10643-014-0640-y/fulltext.html

 

The school where I am currently employed at is in danger of losing its 4 SRLDP classrooms.  If the program is cut, approximately 100 children in our school will be left without a pre-kindergarten education. This article states that educational standards for Head Start Programs are higher than those for childcare providers. Children attending Head Start are more likely than their peers to receive comprehensive services such as health and mental health services and engage in enriching educational experiences. If we invest more money in high quality early childhood programs there will be a long term cost savings. It will reduce the cost of grade retention and special education placements. This study also found changes in the staff, such as language and literacy activities, which are more difficult to change than aspects of the physical environment, such as space and furnishings.

http://www.tkcalifornia.org/about-tk/about-tk.html

As of last week, the school I currently work at no longer has the SRLDP (School Readiness Language Development Program). The Los Angeles Unified School District eliminated 4 classrooms that offer this program, leaving approximately 100 children from our school without a pre-kindergarten education. The Spanish Readiness Language Development Program was replaced by a new program ETK (Early Transitional Kindergarten. Instead of having 4 classrooms, we only have 1 classroom with 24 students. The program is full to capacity, with a waiting list of over 30 children.

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/em/kinderfaq.asp

This website provides all the questions regarding transitional kindergarten, from age of the child to teaching credentials. None of the Los Angeles Unified School District has the ETK information posted. This is a new program that took over the pre-kindergarten program last week; the Los Angeles Unified School District has not yet updated their website. Many parents are outraged with the new change in our pre-kindergarten; I have been dealing with these parents since last week.