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Letters to the Editor
Friday, July 30, 2010
Early childhood education produces benefits that can easily last a lifetime
Our children may be out of school for the summer, but now is time to ask ourselves if their education is a priority for Pennsylvania.
In the next few weeks, huge decisions will be made on funding for early education in Pennsylvania.
Our state legislators will begin to deliberate the budget for 2007-2008, and if we don’t voice our priorities, they may pick away at programs that are vital to our children’s readiness for school and success in life.
I cannot stress enough how important our children’s early education is to their future success in school and in life.
When children start behind in school, they often stay behind.
Children who receive quality early education start school on par with their classmates, and continue to achieve academically.
Research has shown the benefits last a lifetime.
As part of his balanced budget proposal, Gov. Rendell proposed the creation of Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, which would bring quality pre-kindergarten to more than 11,000 children age 3 and 4 who are at risk of academic failure.
He proposed the expansion of Keystone STARS so that child- care programs can continue to improve the quality of early education they provide by meeting research-based standards and earning higher STAR ratings.
He also proposed the expansion of Child Care Works to make sure that working families have access to reliable child care so that they can be more productive at work while their children grow.
Every child is Pennsylvania’s future. Please voice your support for Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, Keystone STARS, and Child Care Works to your legislators.
If we don’t voice our support, these programs may find themselves on permanent vacation.
Jessica Sabol Director Success By 6 United Way of Wyoming Valley Wilkes-Barre
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8 COMMENTS
David Kveragas said...
All this talk of early education is nonsense. Up until the last two generations there was no "early education" aka preschool, etc. Yet the education was much better. Neither I nor my siblings even went to kindregarten and we all were academic sucesses. The same was true of the majority of previous generations. Early education is nothing more than an industry built on the backs of the taxpayers. Leave the young children at home with their mothers and siblings to learn. That is what worked fine for generations.
Truf said...
Ditto what Kveragas said. Now all-day kindergarden is req'd in most places. There's breadfast at school. Do parents have any responsibility? Will the gov't raise our children? Most scary is that mandatory psych eval proposed which would require parents to medicate our children with controversal drugs. Ms Sabol, take your gov't programs and shove them. They are not needed.
Ted said...
Both of you have no idea what you are talking about. America has been quickly falling behind countries all over the world in both literacy and math education. 1/3 of all college freshman can not write a simple five paragraph essay. Our education system is a disaster. I tutor on the college level, and believe me, the sooner people start their educations the better. But of course, it is not just about starting earlier, it is about improving education all around. No Child Left Behind has done nothing but hurt the current education system. There needs to be a new round of education reform.
Marilyn said...
Ted, the point is that educ has been starting earlier, more money is spent on educ than ever before. The results are far worse. Those programs don't work.
David Kveragas said...
I agree with Marilyn. If early education was the boon supporters (virtually all of whom have a financial/career stake in) claim our education figures would be going up, not down. We need to get back to the basics which worked so well for generations. College kids can't read or write because those topics have taken a backseat to PC nonsense, such as social engineering, rather education. In my first grade 40 plus kids with one teacher could read and write by the end of the year. We were able to do so because these were the educational priorities.
Ken said...
Ted Its not the quantity of education that a child receives, its the quality. Pre-kindergarden is nothing but free Day Care. We need to improve the quality of education that the children receive by going back to the basics that have worked so well in the past and have proven that they do work, regardless of how irrelevant some may feel the basics.
Ted said...
But from what I've heard, school taxes are still low. We can tax more and start new programs to help with education. We can start at age 2 and teach walking and toileting skills. After school dinner programs should be instituted too. This will ensure that children will receive proper nutrition.
Ted said...
To Whomever posted under my name: Actually, if the federal government actually contributed money to education instead of squandering it on tax cuts for the rich and the war in Iraq, school taxes could be lowered. Ken, I agree with you whole-heartedly. The quality of eduction must be improved. But there is still little harm in starting a bit earlier to boost some smaller skills before Kindergarten is started.