Karin Klein's Other Opinion article regarding pre-kindergarten [June 5, "Scary Preschool Utopia"] ignores the science of early education in favor of uninformed opinion.Decades of solid scientific research from Louisiana, Michigan, Oklahoma and North Carolina have proved that children who attend high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten programs have stronger early reading and math proficiency and social and emotional skills. Children who attend high-quality pre-K do better in school and in life.
Beyond the scientific evidence, I find it astonishing that Ms. Klein argues that young children should have less-qualified teachers than K-12 students. When families choose a pre-K program, they should know that the teacher has the skills and education to help their child flourish.
In Connecticut, 57 percent of fourth-graders read at or below basic levels, and 59 percent attain basic or lower scores in math. Many of these children lack access to early education experiences. But access to a pre-K program is not enough. Improving program quality is also critical.
With bipartisan political support, Connecticut is building a strong early childhood foundation that will advance the state's goal of getting all children to the kindergarten door healthy, eager to learn and ready for school success. Access to high-quality pre-K is an essential part of this effort and will benefit all children, families and communities as well as the state of Connecticut.
Pre-K is not a panacea or a magic wand. But voluntary pre-K does give our kids a fighting chance to succeed.
Libby Doggett Executive Director Pre-K Now Washington, D.C.
[1]: http://www.courant.com