Just a few decades ago, most Americans started their educations in the first grade. Kindergarten started to grow in popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, and preschool is an even more recent idea. In most states it remains an option for parents.
However, means that in some areas, preschool is not available to some families that want it — especially in low-income and high-minority neighborhoods.
President Biden wants to correct that. In his speech to Congress last week, the president announced plans to place all 3- and 4-year-old children in public preschool programs. His American Families Plan will prioritize low-income areas and eventually establish universal preschool.
To support his plan, Biden’s administration cites studies that show students who begin school earlier perform better in reading and math until the eighth grade. They are less likely to repeat a grade and more likely to take advanced placement courses later on. In addition, the White House asserts that universal preschool will save families $13,000 per year by eliminating daycare costs and enabling more parents to enter the work force.
Surely, an earlier start will benefit many American children; countless Rio Grande Valley families have utilized the federal Head Start program to help their children benefit from nutrition programs and develop English and other skills they can’t adequately develop in low-income and Spanish-speaking households.
However, universal preschool raises two questions: can we afford it, at a time when recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic will take years, and should it truly be universal?
Biden proposes to inject $200 billion in federal funds to support universal preschool; local taxpayers will have to provide the rest. The costs should be significant: Adding grades will require most schools to add or enlarge classrooms and hire teachers, assistants and supportive staff to accommodate the additional students. Budgets will increase for supplies and food programs.
The American Families Plan doesn’t state if preschool will be mandatory at the federal level. However, since schools receive federal funding based on enrollment, we can expect preschool to be compulsory at the local level.
Many experts — and parents — question the push to get children into school at younger and younger ages. Child development professionals have noted that at younger ages, disparities in cognitive and emotional development can be great. While many 3-year-olds are potty trained, some 4-year-olds are not. A 2017 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that children who are just a few months older than their peers have a measurable advantage that continues throughout their school careers. They have higher test scores, are more likely to attend college and less likely to spend time in the juvenile justice system.
Other research has shown that many students who began school before they were ready suffered long-term effects related to high pressures to perform and unmet expectations.
Certainly, an earlier start in school will help many children and their families. However, caution should be taken to ensure that at that age, children are ready for the experience. Any universal preschool program should consider developmental variances, and allow families to hold their children back if they fear their children aren’t ready for the classroom.
