Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/pre-k-expansion-bad-news-or-good-for-existing-providers/5016806/
In my travels around the country and meetings with state legislators, policy leaders, educators, advocates, Head Start directors, and child care providers I am often asked, “How will pre-k expansion affect private child care providers?” My answer is pre-k can be the best thing that has happened to child care in the last five years, or it can be the worst. It all depends upon the early childhood community showing policy makers how to build a system that combines the best of pre-k, child care, and Head Start.Pre-K Now was created as a part of a major grant-making strategy of The Pew Charitable Trusts to assist national and state leaders to design and implement sound, research-based policies that support voluntary access to high-quality pre-k for all three- and four-year-old children in this nation. Since 2002 more than $6.5 million have been provided to a carefully selected set of states that are leading the pre-k movement. Pre-K Now’s vision is a nation in which every child enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. Pre-K Now’s mission is to collaborate with advocates and policymakers to lead a movement for high-quality, voluntary pre-k for all three and four year olds.
Pre-K Now tries to keep the ...