If you don’t know it, Universal PK is a push towards creating free, publicly funded preschools. In other words it’s public school for preschool aged kids. Doesn’t sound too bad right? The NEA loves to tout research on how kids who go to a good preschool tend to earn about $2000 more per year than kids who didn’t and all of these other benefits that kids who don’t go to preschool miss out on. But behind the Universal PK agenda, is a push towards lowering compulsory attendance laws. Fundamentally, the message to parents is: ‘You can’t do this. You’re not trained as a teacher. You need us to help you.’
Compulsory Attendance Laws
Every state has them–the magical age at which a child must go to school. For homeschoolers this is the magical age at which you must report for your child. In some states that’s inconsequential but for those of us who live under burdensome regulations it’s a rather big deal.
However, the big issue, in my opinion is not whether or not I have to fill out IHIPs and quarterlies for an additional two years but whether or not my three and four year olds are really ready for that kind of learning. I realize that some people’s children are ready at that age (in fact I have a couple of those) and I also realize that some parents are under the impression that it’s beneficial to start that early and so they do. But the NEA, while touting research supporting the benefits of pre-school, also fails to make mention of the population that was studied. They also, not surprisingly ignore the wealth of research out their that supports delayed academics–not starting formally until age 6 or 7 or sometimes even later. But I think those two topics are for another blog.
I Don’t Need Help, Thank You
I am very concerned about the Universal PK movement as well as the accompanying push to lower compulsory attendance. However, the underlying message that this agenda is giving parents is clear: Your kids are at a disadvantage because you’re not capable of teaching them. You must have training. You must go to school to know what they need. If you don’t go to school, and you don’t have training, then you are not capable of teaching them all the fundamental skills they need to succeed in life.
Parents, don’t buy into it. If you want to send your kids to preschool–well that’s fine. But don’t do it because you don’t think you’re capable of teaching at home. At the risk of offending someone, I must tell you that colors, numbers and the alphabet are not rocket science. (And actually even if they were, I still think a parent who really wants to teach them can.) Reading out loud and simply conversing with your little one does not take training. It just takes time.
Candidate Watch:
To my knowledge, only Senator Hillary Clinton has made some strong statements about the need for Universal PK.