Many Happy Returns:Why school boards should care
about Pre-KLaurie Hart, NSBA Development Manager-Central
RegionJim Edwards, Kansas Association of School Boards
Patte Barth, NSBA, Center for Public Education
Wisconsin State Education ConventionJanuary 23, 2008
The Center for Public Education
Agenda
• Why pre-K?
• The school board role
• State trends – access AND quality
• A federal role
questions
7 8 9
4 5 6
1 2 3
1
Pre-kindergarten education means putting little children in desks.
1
FalseHome
2
Gains made in preschool fade out in elementary school.
2
FalseHome
3
Each dollar invested in high-quality pre-k can save the community up to $16 dollars later on.
3
TrueHome
4
Kids with high-quality pre-k are less likely to drop out of high school.
4
TrueHome
5
Pre-k is only important for low-SES children or children with special needs.
5
FalseHome
6
School boards have no voice in pre-kindergarten education.
6
FalseHome
Why should school boards care about pre-K?
What school board members say about pre-k
• Greatest benefit: accelerates children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development to become school ready (77%)
• Reduces the achievement gap between low-income children and their more affluent peers (71%)
• Reduces district expenses by decreasing remediation and special education costs (46%)
Source: NSBA survey of school board members, 2006
Challenges
• Making pre-K a public priority
• Implementing a sound system – one that accommodates diverse providers
Findings from Survey: Challenges79%
26%
17% 16%
Lack ofresources
Hiring qualifiedteachers/staff
Coordinating/collaborating
with eligible providers
Lack of clear expectations/standards
for school readinessSource: NSBA Survey, 2006
Pew-CPE initiative
• Making the case for pre-kindergarten
• Intensifying efforts in Kansas, Ohio and Texas
• Reaching out broadly to other states and nationally
What the research says about pre-K
Poor children start school behind their more affluent peers academically …
Source: NCES, America’s Kindergartners, Class of 1998-99, February 2000
8 7 6
27 27 27
0
80
reading math gneralknowledge
welfare
no welfare
Per
cen
t of
stu
dent
s sc
orin
g in
to
p q
uart
ile
… and socially
Source: NCES, America’s Kindergartners, Class of 1998-99, February 2000
67 69
43
75 78
53
0
80
accept peerideas
formfriendships
comfortothers
welfare
no welfare
Per
cen
t of
stu
dent
s w
ho
eng
age
in p
ro-
soci
al b
ehav
ior
ofte
n or
ver
y of
ten
The benefits of pre-k convey to all children
Source: Cannon & Karoly, Who Is Ahead and Who Is Behind? RAND, 2007. Data from Gormley et al, 2005.
0.99
0.38
0.6
0.76
1.5
0.74
0.89
0.72
0.98
0.52
0.72
0
2
White Hispanic Black NativeAmerican
Appliedproblems
Letter-Word ID
Spelling
Effects of Tulsa Preschool Program on School Readiness by Race & Ethnicity
Eff
ect
Siz
e (g
ain
s)
The benefits of pre-k convey to all children
Source: Cannon & Karoly, Who Is Ahead and Who Is Behind? RAND, 2007. Data from Gormley et al, 2005.
0.45
0.29
0.81
1.04
0.630.65
0.97
0.54
0
2
free lunch reduced lunch non eligible
Appliedproblems
Letter-Word ID
Spelling
Effects of Tulsa Preschool Program on School Readiness by Family Income
Eff
ect
Siz
e (g
ain
s)
Short-term benefits
• More likely to score higher on math and
reading state tests in elementary school
• Less likely to be retained in grade
• Less likely to require special education
services
Sources: High Scopes/Perry Preschool, Abecedarian, Chicago Child-Parent Centers
Long-term benefits
• More likely to earn high school diploma
• More likely to be employed
• More likely to earn high wages
• More likely to be home owners
• Less likely to be a teen parent
• Less likely to be involved in criminal justice
system
Sources: High Scopes/Perry Preschool, Abecedarian, Chicago Child-Parent Centers
Pre-K is a gift that keeps on giving
40
5
45
15
28
60
27
65
49
67
0 100
earned over$20K at 40
owned home at27
graduated highschool
achieved basicor better at 14
IQ was over 90at age 5
with pre-k
without pre-k
Percent of individuals
SOURCE: The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study Through Age 40, Summary, Conclusions, and Frequently Asked Questions, November 2004
And it adds up:Gains per $1 invested
2.363.78
7.14
16.14
0
18
Meta-analysis Abecedarian Chicago Centers High/Scope
SOURCE: CED, 2006
Savings to K-12 in Wisconsin
• 68 cents per dollar invested in pre-K for 4-yr-olds statewide
• 76 cents per dollar invested in Milwaukee alone
SOURCE: An economic analysis of four-year-old kindergarten in Wisconsin: Returns to the education system, PreK Now, Washington, DC, September 2005.
Savings in special ed placements, less grade retention, higher teacher retention, fewer substitutes, school safety.
Access to pre-k varies by race & ethnicity
Per
cen
t of
4
year
-old
s
Source: NCES, Pre:school: First findings, Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort Follow up, 2007
53
37 31
55
29
725
19
6
31
0
100
White Black Hispanic Asian NativeAmerican
center-based Head Start
60 62
50
61 60
Access to pre-k also varies by family income
Per
cen
t of
4
year
-old
s
Source: NCES, Pre:school: First findings, Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort Follow up, 2007
22
44
7125
13
1
0
100
lowest 20% middle 60% highest 20%
center-based Head Start
47
57
72
High-quality pre-k is NOT
High pressure
Mandatory
Low-quality/concerned
only with access
Academic only
One size fits all
Only in schools
Closed to parents
A silver bullet
High-quality pre-k IS
Fun – “can I go to pre-K?”
Concerned with children’s social/emotional/academic development
For all plus more for high-needs children
Often in diverse settings
Welcoming to parents too
Absolutely voluntary
Essential but not sufficient
Adapted from Pew Charitable Trusts, 2006
State trends -- pre-k access
Access
• 38 states fund pre-k programs
• 20% of all 4-yr-olds enrolled in state pre-k – up from 14% in 2002
• 2/3 of children served are in public school settings
Source: NIEER, 2006
More state dollars for pre-k
FY 2005 FY 2008
# of states increasing pre-k funding
15 36
Total state pre-k dollars $2.9 billion $4.8 billion
Source: Pre-K Now, Votes Count 2007
Pre-k funding by state, FY08
Orange: increase Black: decrease Tan: Flat
Blue: Inc, expected White: no state pre-k Gray: no budget
Map: Pre-K Now, Votes Count 2007
Access to state pre-kFour-year-olds
Top States No program OK 70%
GA 52%
VT 47%
FL 47%
TX 44%
WV 40%
WI 32%
SC 31%
MD 31%
KY 29%
AK NH
HI ND
ID RI
IN SD
MS UT
MT WY
4-yr-olds in state pre-k
Map: NIEER State Preschool Yearbook, 2006
Wisconsin access
Wisconsin Nat’l average
Top state
4-yr-olds in state pre-k
32% 20% 70%
OK
4-yr-olds in Head Start
9% 11% 36%
MS
Per child spending
$3,108 $3,482 $9,854
NJ
Source: NIEER, 2006
State trends -- pre-k quality
NIEER’s 10 quality indicators• Early learning standards• Lead teachers with B.A.• Lead teachers with early ed training• Ass’t teachers with CDA• Min. 15 hrs PD• Max. class size of 20• Min. staff-child ratio 1:10• Health support• Min. 1 meal• Site visits
Source: National Institute for Early Education Research
States meeting standards
• 2 states – AL and NC -- meet all 10 indicators
• 30 require a 1:10 staff-child ratio
• 28 have a max class size of 20
• 28 require early ed training
• 18 require BAs
Source: NIEER, 2006
Wisconsin state requirements4K programs
• Early learning standards
• Lead teacher with BA
• Early ed training
• 15 hrs professional development
• Site visits
Source: NIEER, 2006
Wisconsin state requirementsHead Start
• Early learning standards
• Early ed training
• Max. class size of 20
• Staff-child ratio 1:10
• Health screening
• Min. one meal
Source: NIEER, 2006
A federal role
NSBA’s Pre-K Legislative Committee
• Advocates for federal pre-k agenda to include more investment in high-quality pre-k
• Includes over 300 NA, FRN and CUBE representatives at present
NSBA’s Federal Policy Recommendations
• New federal grant program to fund portion of costs to develop and expand voluntary quality preschool programs in local school districts.
• Key caveats:
– School district participation discretionary– Parent/student participation discretionary– Not at expense of K-12 funding– Doesn’t foster vouchers
NSBA’s Federal Policy Recommendations (cont.)
• Programs adopt developmentally appropriate early ed standards aligned with state’s K-12 standards.
• Require outside pre-k providers to collaborate with local districts.
• Encourage states to upgrade teacher certification / licensure systems to include BA & early ed training
NSBA’s Federal Policy Recommendations (cont.)
• Devote resources to districts to develop / implement joint training and professional development programs for early ed instructors.
• Tools / incentives to replicate effective models and improve program quality.
questions?
For more information …
• Center for Public Education www.centerforpubliceducation.org
• Pre-K Legislative Committee www.nsba.org
• Pew Charitable Trusts www.pewtrusts.org
• Pre-K Now www.preknow.org
• National Affiliate Program www.nsba.org