Many Happy Returns: Why school boards should care about Pre-K Laurie Hart, NSBA Development Manager-Central Region Jim Edwards, Kansas Association of School Boards Patte Barth, NSBA, Center for Public Education Wisconsin State Education Convention January 23, 2008 The Center for Public Education

Agenda Why pre-K? The school board role State trends – access AND quality A federal role questions

1 Pre-kindergarten education means putting little children in desks.

1 False Home

2 Gains made in preschool fade out in elementary school.

2 False Home

3 Each dollar invested in high-quality pre-k can save the community up to $16 dollars later on.

3 True Home

4 Kids with high-quality pre-k are less likely to drop out of high school.

4 True Home

5 Pre-k is only important for low-SES children or children with special needs.

5 False Home

6 School boards have no voice in pre-kindergarten education.

6 False Home

Why should school boards care about pre-K?

What school board members say about pre-k Greatest benefit: accelerates children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development to become school ready (77%) Reduces the achievement gap between low-income children and their more affluent peers (71%) Reduces district expenses by decreasing remediation and special education costs (46%) Source: NSBA survey of school board members, 2006

Challenges Making pre-K a public priority Implementing a sound system – one that accommodates diverse providers

Findings from Survey: Challenges 79% 26% 17% 16% Lack of resources Hiring qualified teachers/staff Coordinating/ collaborating with eligible providers Lack of clear expectations/standards for school readiness Source: NSBA Survey, 2006

Pew-CPE initiative Making the case for pre- kindergarten Intensifying efforts in Kansas, Ohio and Texas Reaching out broadly to other states and nationally

What the research says about pre-K

Poor children start school behind their more affluent peers academically … Source: NCES, America’s Kindergartners, Class of , February 2000 Percent of students scoring in top quartile

… and socially Source: NCES, America’s Kindergartners, Class of , February 2000 Percent of students who engage in pro- social behavior often or very often

The benefits of pre-k convey to all children Source: Cannon & Karoly, Who Is Ahead and Who Is Behind? RAND, Data from Gormley et al, Effects of Tulsa Preschool Program on School Readiness by Race & Ethnicity Effect Size (gains)

The benefits of pre-k convey to all children Source: Cannon & Karoly, Who Is Ahead and Who Is Behind? RAND, Data from Gormley et al, Effects of Tulsa Preschool Program on School Readiness by Family Income Effect Size (gains)

Short-term benefits More likely to score higher on math and reading state tests in elementary school Less likely to be retained in grade Less likely to require special education services Sources: High Scopes/Perry Preschool, Abecedarian, Chicago Child-Parent Centers

Long-term benefits More likely to earn high school diploma More likely to be employed More likely to earn high wages More likely to be home owners Less likely to be a teen parent Less likely to be involved in criminal justice system Sources: High Scopes/Perry Preschool, Abecedarian, Chicago Child-Parent Centers

Pre-K is a gift that keeps on giving Percent of individuals SOURCE: The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study Through Age 40, Summary, Conclusions, and Frequently Asked Questions, November 2004

And it adds up: Gains per $1 invested SOURCE: CED, 2006

Savings to K-12 in Wisconsin 68 cents per dollar invested in pre-K for 4-yr-olds statewide 76 cents per dollar invested in Milwaukee alone SOURCE: An economic analysis of four-year-old kindergarten in Wisconsin: Returns to the education system, PreK Now, Washington, DC, September Savings in special ed placements, less grade retention, higher teacher retention, fewer substitutes, school safety.

Access to pre-k varies by race & ethnicity Percent of 4 year-olds Source: NCES, Pre:school: First findings, Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort Follow up,

Access to pre-k also varies by family income Percent of 4 year-olds Source: NCES, Pre:school: First findings, Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort Follow up,

High-quality pre-k is NOT High pressure Mandatory Low-quality/concerned only with access Academic only One size fits all Only in schools Closed to parents A silver bullet High-quality pre-k IS Fun – “can I go to pre-K?” Concerned with children’s social/emotional/academic development For all plus more for high- needs children Often in diverse settings Welcoming to parents too Absolutely voluntary Essential but not sufficient Adapted from Pew Charitable Trusts, 2006

State trends -- pre-k access

Access 38 states fund pre-k programs 20% of all 4-yr-olds enrolled in state pre-k – up from 14% in /3 of children served are in public school settings Source: NIEER, 2006

More state dollars for pre-k FY 2005FY 2008 # of states increasing pre-k funding 1536 Total state pre-k dollars $2.9 billion$4.8 billion Source: Pre-K Now, Votes Count 2007

Pre-k funding by state, FY08 Orange: increaseBlack: decreaseTan: Flat Blue: Inc, expectedWhite: no state pre-kGray: no budget Map: Pre-K Now, Votes Count 2007

Access to state pre-k Four-year-olds Top StatesNo program OK 70% GA 52% VT 47% FL 47% TX 44% WV 40% WI 32% SC 31% MD 31% KY 29% AK NH HI ND ID RI IN SD MS UT MT WY

4-yr-olds in state pre-k Map: NIEER State Preschool Yearbook, 2006

Wisconsin access WisconsinNat’l average Top state 4-yr-olds in state pre-k 32%20%70% OK 4-yr-olds in Head Start 9%11%36% MS Per child spending $3,108$3,482$9,854 NJ Source: NIEER, 2006

State trends -- pre-k quality

NIEER’s 10 quality indicators Early learning standards Lead teachers with B.A. Lead teachers with early ed training Ass’t teachers with CDA Min. 15 hrs PD Max. class size of 20 Min. staff-child ratio 1:10 Health support Min. 1 meal Site visits Source: National Institute for Early Education Research

States meeting standards 2 states – AL and NC -- meet all 10 indicators 30 require a 1:10 staff-child ratio 28 have a max class size of require early ed training 18 require BAs Source: NIEER, 2006

Wisconsin state requirements 4K programs Early learning standards Lead teacher with BA Early ed training 15 hrs professional development Site visits Source: NIEER, 2006

Wisconsin state requirements Head Start Early learning standards Early ed training Max. class size of 20 Staff-child ratio 1:10 Health screening Min. one meal Source: NIEER, 2006

A federal role

NSBA’s Pre-K Legislative Committee Advocates for federal pre-k agenda to include more investment in high-quality pre-k Includes over 300 NA, FRN and CUBE representatives at present

NSBA’s Federal Policy Recommendations New federal grant program to fund portion of costs to develop and expand voluntary quality preschool programs in local school districts. Key caveats: –School district participation discretionary –Parent/student participation discretionary –Not at expense of K-12 funding –Doesn’t foster vouchers

NSBA’s Federal Policy Recommendations (cont.) Programs adopt developmentally appropriate early ed standards aligned with state’s K-12 standards. Require outside pre-k providers to collaborate with local districts. Encourage states to upgrade teacher certification / licensure systems to include BA & early ed training

NSBA’s Federal Policy Recommendations (cont.) Devote resources to districts to develop / implement joint training and professional development programs for early ed instructors. Tools / incentives to replicate effective models and improve program quality.

questions?

For more information … Center for Public Education Pre-K Legislative Committee Pew Charitable Trusts Pre-K Now National Affiliate Program