Pre-K Expansion Measure's Varying Standards Faulted

V. Dion Haynes:

Early childhood experts and parents expressed support yesterday for a measure before the D.C. Council that would extend pre-kindergarten programs to 2,000 more 3- and 4-year-olds in the city.

Although researchers and education advocates at the council hearing agreed that pre-K can boost academic achievement in later years, debate centered on what constitutes a high-quality program for D.C. students.

A provision in the measure, introduced last month by council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D), would require pre-K teachers in traditional public schools, charters and new community-based programs funded through the proposal to have a bachelor's degree in early childhood education, child development or family studies immediately. Teachers in existing community-based programs would not be required to have their bachelor's degrees until 2014.

That point drew opposition.

"Pre-K teachers with BA degrees achieve better results," said Libby Doggett, executive director of Pre-K Now, which is advocating for expanded early childhood programs in the city. "Permitting some classrooms to do it one way and others to do it another way is the wrong approach," she added.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at January 9, 2008 9:00 AM
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