A reader writes:
One of the most shocking pieces of news out of the Pennsylvania school funding crisis created by Gov. Corbett was the cost-cutting plan by many districts to ELIMINATE KINDERGARTEN. What an incredibly stupid and short-sighted idea. It would take decades to recover from such a decision.
The kindergarten idea was introduced to the United States in the 1870s, an import from Germany.
It was first established in St. Louis, which was in the forefront of educational innovation in those times due mainly to a far-sighted educator named William Torrey Harris. Harris believed in the importance of a sound public education. He believed in teaching the classics. He believed that maintaining good public schools was a public responsibility.
Now, in Pennsylvania, due to relentless budget-cutting, many districts are planning to eliminate kindergarten. Thus, what is called “reform” today brings us back almost to where we started. We are turning back the clock, privatizing schools (it’s the civil rights issue of our time, remember?), increasing class size (to close the achievement gap?), cutting the arts and physical education (frills?), and now districts find that the public doesn’t want to pay for kindergarten. I can’t remember which part of the reform agenda that is. Can you?
Diane
How utterly horrifying!!!
I teach prek in NYC
Children who start K without pre struggle to catch up
I can’t imagine children not going to kindergarten
O.wait. Those with money will send their children to K. K is not for OPC.
Then the haves will complain how dumb poor children are
It’s the part of the “reform” agenda that no “reformers” like to admit out loud to…that it’s about money — not children, not learning.
In urban schools where poverty is high, Pre-K and K are our chance to succeed with kids before they fall behind. If we can catch them early, there is no stopping what they can achieve!
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120625/NEWS/206250314
^and here’s how you ruin kindergarten…..
We have to follow the money to keep up with the “reform” agenda, since virtually all of the “reforms” are more about money than children…
“Reformers” have effectively pushed the 1st grade curriculum down into Kg via the Common Core and doing the same with Pre-K is likely to be just around the corner, once national standards are established there, too. That means growth for curriculum and testing companies in another new education market.
I think losing Kg in public schools encourages expansion of the private child care market, because some investors are already reaping the benefits of that market, as public preschool programs for at-risk children are often situated in existing private child care centers and have multiple funding streams, including monies from school districts, state child care subsidies and parent fees. It would not be too difficult to add Kg, as many private child care centers already have Kg classes, as well as school-age before and after school programs subsidized by government funds.
Look at Milken. He owns the largest for-profit child care corporation in this country, so this would be of benefit to him. I’ve worked with his staff and know that many of his centers already implement a pushed down curriculum, including drilling babies with flashcards. (That may be applealing to some parents, but we have many approaches with young children that are developmentally appropriate and a lot more engaging than drill for skill from birth.)
This could explain why 0-5 programs have been flying under the radar on the “reform” agenda. Big plans could be rolling out ahead, but I don’t see them benefitting children as much as corporations.
Pushing down curriculum is something I have seen and find alarming. Edreform has no concept of developmental appropriateness. Ages and stages are so important in every content area.
Interesting suggestion that this would facilitate private K offerings. Of course. How clever. Glad that this is not happening here in Delaware. Our governor is beefing up Pre-K and K programs, not cutting back. This is the route to improving graduation rates and reducing school drop-outs.
Measures like this don’t save money. They shift costs from government onto young families. If the governor had proposed taxing every young family $5,000 (say), there would have been outrage.
The consequences are of course long term and will affect the state’s tax base when these kids grow up.
Of special concern would be any special needs and special ed kids. How will they access needed services?
Special needs kids also crossed my mind. I don’t know how many but I do know that some children are not identified as having a disability until they arrive in kindergarten. The result of removing kindergarten will be one less year of intervention for these children, which I imagine could set them even further behind.
they should get rid of 8th grade instead (those punks think they already know everything)
Heh! Good call.
“Of special concern would be any special needs and special ed kids. How will they access needed services?”
If the end-game is to expand Kindergarten in private for-profit child care centers, which is sure to fill the coffers of big business, such as Mike Milken’s Knowledge Universe (co-founded by his brother, Lowell), children with special needs would also be served there, as many preschoolers with special needs are currently served in private for-profit child care centers, due to inclusion –which sometimes results in the kind of misuse of public funds that Diane referred to today, regarding the NY audit of such programs:
The private child care industry is appealing to profiteers because, for the most part, it’s not unionized, states often have low educational requirements for teachers in child care centers and the pay is typically abysmal (and without benefits). Usually, states require teachers in publicly funded preschool programs to meet the same qualifications as teachers in public schools, but that has placed extreme burdens on private child care companies, since public programs there are often funded for just part of the day and teacher qualifications are so much lower for their regular staff. Some programs employ state certified teachers just part time then.
Private child care organizations have had their own lobbyists for years, who have successfully helped to keep teacher qualifications in child care centers low. Maybe they will try to lobby for lower teacher requirements in publicly funded programs that are in private child care centers as well. Because of federal requirements, that’s likely to be harder for Special Ed due to IDEA, however, billionaires can readily buy legislation these days…
Rural kids may not even have private for-profit preschool /kindergarten programs available to them, regardless of family funds.
K12 is already planning to expand to include PreK, as recently reported by Leonie Haimson here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nyceducationnews/message/45391
Corporations often think that with online learning, bricks and mortar schools are unnecessary. However, KLC is another Milken company, which owns KinderCare, and they have sites in rural areas, too.
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MTMwNzg0fENoaWxkSUQ9LTF8VHlwZT0z&t=1
The idea of screen-based learning for ages preschool – 3rd or so would seem to be counter to American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations. Certainly at those ages, you’re relying on a full time parent to do the supervision, and there’s no advantage to having a computer (other than that K-12 gets money, and the family gets a free laptop).
A disastrous move! I have high regard for those teaching Pre-K and Kindergarten. We need them and kids need them the most!
Diane,
I’m as appalled as you by the prospect of eliminating kindergarten. Almost as appalled as I am by the general state of attacks on education here in Wisconsin. But I was surprised to read in your post that kindergarten began in 1870 in St. Louis when we educators have been celebrating Wisconsin as the birthplace of kindergarten (in the US) back in Watertown in 1856. It’s this rich heritage of progressive education values in Wisconsin that makes the current assault on public education here so shocking.
http://www.watertownhistory.org/Articles/KindergardenFirst.htm
Could you clarify which of our fine midwest cities’s claims is more valid? Either way, it is a shock and disgrace to have lost our sense of value for the education of children.
Sandy
Sandy,
There are two conflicting claims. I’ll have to do some research. I had learned years ago that William Torrey Harris established the first permanent public kindergarten in St. Louis in the 1870s (I think 1873), but I see that Watertown also has a claim. My guess is that both had substantial German populations who knew about the kindergarten in Germany (literally, the child’s garden). I can’t do the research now because I have a big writing assignment for this summer. But I’ll check into it–maybe at 3 am, when I am not blogging or working on my big project.
It is really hard to imagine that those in charge of the children’s garden would welcome tests and assessments and data.
Diane
This is a terrible idea. Upon seeing Diane’s post, I did an informal poll of nine school reform advocates I know. [PLEASE do not flame me, I realize a sample of nine = anecdotal]. These people come at reform in very different ways. I did not find a single reformer who supports this idea and I doubt many education reform advocates support this.
I see that (bankrupt) Harrisburg is considering taking this step. Can anyone post what other districts are doing this or seriously considering?
The most vulnerable states would be those that don’t require Kindergarten attendance. Only 14 states do require it. Delaware requires it. Pennsylvania does not. Here’s a list:
http://mb2.ecs.org/reports/Report.aspx?id=32
Prof W, that information is very informative, I have not seen it in one place before. Thanks for providing.
If you (or anyone) can post here the names of cities/districts who have announced they are eliminating kindergarten or seriously considering eliminating kindergarten, that would give us some targets to call to let then know what we think of their decision.