Editor’s Note
For comments on this article, read W. Steven Barnett on the lasting effects of prekindergarten; Gene I. Maeroff on obstacles to implementing universal preK; and Amy Kershaw and Amy Checkoway on putting quality preK first.
Volume 24, Number 6
November/December 2008
When Worlds Collide
Universal preK brings new challenges for public elementary schools
By DAVID MCKAY WILSON
When Worlds Collide, continued
When Worlds Collide: Universal preK brings new challenges for public elementary schools
When Worlds Collide
In 2005, when Boston mayor Thomas Menino announced his plan to make prekindergarten available to all four-year-olds in the city, parents and early childhood advocates applauded this initiative to add a 14th year to the city’s public school system.
Three years later, after preK classrooms were established in 50 of the city’s 67 elementary schools, educators say implementing the mayor’s vision has proved to be a major challenge. There were facility issues: none of the classrooms had running water or bathrooms, so administrators lobbied to build toilet facilities in the rooms—at the cost of $35,000 each. There were oversight issues: many of the elementary school principals weren’t sensitive to the needs of four-year-olds, so Boston established a professional development academy for administrators faced with the prospect of educating preschoolers.
Then there was the impact on the elementary schools where those four-year-olds were getting ready for kindergarten. When those students turned five, they were so well prepared that the district had to retool its kindergarten curriculum to keep pace with children much more ready to learn.
The issues faced in Boston are similar to those experienced by educators across the country as they grapple with the flood of public support for preschool education. PreK is the fastest-growing sector in public education, with scores of elementary schools adding preK classes or developing early childhood centers for young children. But adding another grade to a school isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially when those being taught are three or four years old.
“At the outset, elementary schools are gloriously unprepared to serve preschoolers,” says Jason Sachs, director of early childhood for the Boston Public Schools, who is in charge of implementing Menino’s vision. “With the district’s support, we’ve made great strides. It has been a fascinating ride.”
This is an excerpt from the Harvard Education Letter.
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In 2005, when Boston mayor Thomas Menino announced his plan to make prekindergarten available to all four-year-olds in the city, parents and early childhood advocates applauded this initiative to add a 14th year to the city’s public school system.
Three years later, after preK classrooms were established in 50 of the city’s 67 elementary schools, educators say implementing the mayor’s vision has proved to be a major challenge. There were facility issues: none of the classrooms had running water or bathrooms, so administrators lobbied to build toilet facilities in the rooms—at the cost of $35,000 each. There were oversight issues: many of the elementary school principals weren’t sensitive to the needs of four-year-olds, so Boston established a professional development academy for administrators faced with the prospect of educating preschoolers.
Then there was the impact on the elementary schools where those four-year-olds were getting ready for kindergarten. When those students turned five, they were so well prepared that the district had to retool its kindergarten curriculum to keep pace with children much more ready to learn.
The issues faced in Boston are similar to those experienced by educators across the country as they grapple with the flood of public support for preschool education. PreK is the fastest-growing sector in public education, with scores of elementary schools adding preK classes or developing early childhood centers for young children. But adding another grade to a school isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially when those being taught are three or four years old.
“At the outset, elementary schools are gloriously unprepared to serve preschoolers,” says Jason Sachs, director of early childhood for the Boston Public Schools, who is in charge of implementing Menino’s vision. “With the district’s support, we’ve made great strides. It has been a fascinating ride.”
