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Articles
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| EDITORIAL: A reasonable investment |
VOICE writes, "A reasonable investment
D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray vowed last week to introduce legislation to provide 3- and 4-year-olds throughout the District with universal access to pre-kindergarten programs.
At a luncheon held by the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, Chairman Gray described his proposed bill as a key part of his legislative agenda for the fall. "
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Mr. Gray's position is on solid footing. The D.C. Chamber and a host of other groups have urged the city to beef up the city's preschool offerings. The Georgetown Children's House Endowment To Promote Quality Early Childhood Education, a nonprofit organization established in 2003, has sought to raise the issue's profile through a colorful public art project that scattered oversized play blocks at venues throughout the city.
Creating a quality system would admittedly require more funding up front, but we are confident it would prove to be a wise investment in the District's future.
At a Chamber luncheon last year, Brookings Institution senior fellow Isabel Sawhill cited her findings that a strong pre-kindergarten program can address the gap in abilities that otherwise arises by kindergarten. Successful initiatives require small classes, qualified teachers, extensive parental involvement and strong support services.
The landmark study on the subject reviewed the impact of just such offerings on a group of 123 children who attended preschool in Ypsilanti, Mich., in the 1960s. The 3- and 4-year-olds were in class for 2 1/2 hours a day, supplemented by a weekly 90-minute home visit. A similar "control group" received the normal services offered in the city's schools.
Since then, researchers found that far fewer students who received the enhanced services ended up in costly special-education classes and far more graduated from high school. Later in life, the students were more likely to have jobs and were substantially better paid, and far fewer had had serious run-ins with the law.
D.C. school officials have estimated that setting up a quality program in the District would cost $5,000 to $7,000 per child. That could be offset by lower special-education costs within a few years.
Chairman Gray and Mayor Adrian Fenty have expressed support for the idea. It's time now to flesh out the goals and implement a quality program.
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Posted on Sep 13, 2007 07:06am.
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