Impact of Pre-K Initiatives on Centers

With all the recent activity around state Pre-K initiatives, much anxiety has been raised among existing child care providers. Providers naturally wonder if they will lose 4 year olds to programs operated by the public schools, and thus lose their financial stability. However, Preschool Matters (May/June 2006; www.nieer.org) reports that centers need not be negatively impacted by Pre-K initiatives. A study of the roll-out of Pre-K services in New York concluded that “by including the full spectrum of existing providers, New York’s program makes the most of public and private investments already made in early childhood education, aligns them with the public schools, and brings new resources to private programs…”. Among the benefits identified from New York’s diverse Pre-K delivery approach are:

• Private programs could afford to buy new equipment and teaching materials
• More teachers in private programs sought certification
• More low-income children had access to services
• Programs serving children with special needs could expand, creating more integrated programs
• Professional development expanded for teachers in private programs
• Developmentally appropriate practices increased across all settings
• Private providers and schools began to align learning expectations.

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