One of Education Sector's eight recommendations for presidential candidates to tackle in the coming election is early childhood education. They propose $18.4 billion annually to bring No Child Left Behind to four year olds. It isn't quite universal preschool, for they set the income limit at $50,000.At what point in considering scientifically based curricula do we take into account these scientific findings, by the National Institutes of Health:
Children who got quality child care before entering kindergarten had better vocabulary scores in the fifth grade than did youngsters who received lower quality care.Or those which have found that the education level of the teacher does not have that much effect on the learning of the children?
Also, the more time that children spent in child care, the more likely their sixth grade teachers were to report problem behavior. Associated Press
A U.S. study suggests the educational level obtained by preschool teachers is unlikely, by itself, to improve classroom quality or learning. Earthtimes.orgUnhappy with the cost, level of care and availability of child care in Australia, 100,000 eligible workers have done the unthinkable and chosen to stay home to care for their children themselves. What are those selfish Aussies thinking? Don't they realize the economic impact this will have to their nation?
Labor's families spokeswoman Jenny Macklin said Australia was missing out on thousands of capable workers because they could not get the child care they needed. News.com.auAnd as one commenter notes,
While your children are small, fair enough ... but 3 and 4yr olds need a year of preschool before they start school. Ibid.
The report als o cites that the affordability of childcare has dropped 50% since 2001. I would like to see the exact figures on that because I have a feeling a lot of the decreased affordibility or increased cost is at least indirectly related to increased government expenditures in child care.As far as national standards for licensing goes, when can parents be trusted to decide for themselves that a child care center is inadequate for their child? I'm not saying that states shouldn't have standards, but the federal government shouldn't be involved in that. What is Prime Minister Howard thinking, assuming his opposition's summary of his opinion is correct,
“The Howard Government thinks that parents are being too choosy,” Ms Macklin said. Ibid.Good on ya, mates. That is what parents are supposed to do. And choosy parents recognize that the best person to care for their child is that child's parent.
Related Tags: preschool, universal preschool, education, parenting
