By Angelina Li
Criss-cross applesauce, “a, b, c, d, e, f, g,” snack time, counting blocks, or whatever else children between the ages of three to five do in their spare time.
In October 2021, around 63% of these children living in the United States would have been enrolled in preschool or pre-primary education (NCES). According to data from the Current Population Survey by the U.S. Department of Commerce, children ages three to five have had similar enrollment rates in October 2010 and October 2010 (NCES). To note, enrollment rates have decreased due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the trend has been relatively stagnant.
Why attend preschool in the first place?
Preschool provides the foundation of a structure that most children will follow as they attend their K-12 school years. By incorporating both ample play time and basic academic skills (such as sounding out words), preschools promote both social and emotional development through its consistent provision of care (Great Schools).
A major benefit of preschool is indeed the structure provided. While preschoolers are not bound by 11:59 PM Google Classroom submission deadlines or final project due dates, by having a set classroom space to both play and learn, social interaction is learned, and conflict is minimized with the help of teachers present (Great Schools).
By having peers, preschoolers not only have a better sense of how they should behave (based on teacher feedback), but they also have an opportunity to develop self-confidence when asked to help others (Great Schools).
Furthermore, being in an environment with constant speaking allows students to be cognitively stimulated, important for students’ speech and literacy development (Great Schools).
However, attending preschool is not the "end all be all" way to a child’s future academic success.
In fact, some argue the opposite.
According to early childhood education specialist Dale Farran, who studied 2,990 low-income Tennessee children attending free, public prekindergarten programs, attending preschool may actually be linked to academic detriment (NPR). After sixth grade, these students had already followed a trend of doing worse on tests and had higher rates of being admitted into special education programs (NPR).
Accordingly, the negative impact seemingly correlated with attending preschool is not nationwide, as another study of the same design based in Boston demonstrated that those attending preschool had greater success in their high school years (NPR). A potential main difference? The Boston program had more funding, while the Tennessee program was only for low-income families (NPR).
Farran highlighted how with a greater income, the more likely a family is to send their children to “play-based preschool programs with art, movement, music, and nature.” (NPR).The structure provided to these preschoolers does not hinder the creativity and self-efficacy they learn to develop. Whereas for preschools traditionally with a greater low-income population, because teachers give less freedom to their students, students are not as likely to develop as their own individual (NPR).
In an interview conducted by NC State College, faculty member Michael Little (assistant professor of educational evaluation and policy analysis) highlighted the values of preschool.
According to Little, “when children attend high-quality and effective Pre-K programs, they get a really big boost in early skills that set them up for success in elementary school” (NCSU). “Decades of research” supports the notion that those attending quality preschool programs have been correlated with “superior health outcomes” and lesser chances of being “incarcerated” (NCSU).
However, Little also recognizes the phenomenon of “Pre-K fadeout,” in which those who attended preschool lose the edge they seem to have had over non-preschool classmates. When lessons learned in preschool are not sustained in primary education, preschool is rendered ultimately unnecessary. Without P-3 Alignment, the coordination between Pre-K and early elementary school education, attending preschool does not provide the benefit that families hope for—closing achievement gaps.
Hence, the divide between whether or not preschool is beneficial thus highlights the reality of the education gap.
For parents who can afford a preschool that not only teaches students reading and math skills (amongst other academic subjects) but also allows them to roam free on stimulating play structures, attending a preschool is indeed a wonderful option. However, with consideration of financial differences and the fact that some areas do not offer viable, cheaper alternatives, preschool may just not be for every child.
And, if what preschool teaches is not sustained by the K-12 education system a child is put into, then spending thousands on sending a child to preschool for a few years may not be the best option.
Whether a child is spending all day coloring with (or breaking) crayons at their local preschool or is already learning how to read chapter books, the main goal is for children to develop social-emotional learning skills, a sense of self-efficacy and confidence, and the ability to begin making their own decisions.
Ultimately, whether or not attending a preschool is needed to attain such a goal is a question for families themselves. However, the notion of preschool in it of itself is a valuable institution, and if program reforms are nationwide, perhaps all children can reap the benefits of a solid preschool education.
Works Cited
Bowen, Janine. “Ask the Expert: Why is a Preschool Education Important? ‘When Children Attend High-quality Pre-K Programs, They Get a Really Great Boost in Early Skills That Set Them Up for Success in Elementary School,’ Says Assistant Professor Michael Little.” NC State University, https://ced.ncsu.edu/news/2021/05/21/ask-the-expert-why-is-a-preschool-education-important-when-children-attend-high-quality-pre-k-programs-they-get-a-really-great-boost-in-early-skills-that-set-them-up-for-success-in-element/.
“Preprimary Education Enrollment.” National Center for Education Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=516.
“10 Good Reasons Your Child Should Attend Preschool.” Great Schools, https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/why-preschool/.
Comments