School Districts Try to Save Pre-K

The Orlando Sentinel ^ | 5/22/02 | Lori Horvitz

[summer]

TA, FYI -- Here is the article about the 11 (eleven) new private schools in Orlando:

Parents Snap up Vouchers [Jeb's 3rd voucher program results in new private schools] - from The Orlando Sentinel

[summer]

TA, I meant to address my post #61 to you. Also, from that article I linked to in that above reply:

"And almost all the parents who win vouchers are taking their state-authorized tuition checks to schools that teach religion."

[summer]

See posts #61 and #62. :)

[summer]

Re your post #16 on the thread I linked to in my post #61 above -- The article posted by Truth Addict here on this thread may be seen, by some, as the competition you mentioned... In the end, I beileve this increased competition may be good news for all students -- and maybe even good news for both private school and public school teachers. :)

[summer]

TA, I really do appreciate your comments on this thread, and I think what I said did not alleviate the anger your wife may be feeling. But, I just want to add one more thought, and if you can somehow distance yourself from the situation, maybe you will understand my point here:

As you know, people have pointed at the public schools, K-12, and angrily said: "YOU have a monopoly. Poor kids can not get out."

Then, a new element: vouchers.

Now -- via vouchers, some poor kids are leaving the public school system.

But public schools did not collapse. They changed in FL. And, they continue to change in FL, because now: there is competition. And, accountability. Things that did not exist before.

In the same vein, as I see it:

Private pre-K once had a monopoly.

Then, a new element: public school pre-K.

Now -- via public school pre-K, some kids may be leaving the private school pre-K system.

But private pre-K will not collapse. They will change in FL, because now: there is competition. Something that did not exist before.

Of course, whoever is in the monopoly, and benefitting from the monopoly, will not want the competition, for whatever reasons they state.

Not only is your wife probably worried about losing some students, she is probably also concerned about perhaps losing her best teachers -- should these teachers decide they would like to double their salaries by becoming certified pre-K teachers and teaching in a public pre-K.

So, what will your wife and others like her now do?

Hopefully, they compete. They find a way to pay their teachers more. Because these pre-K teachers haven't had a decent salary EVER during this monopoly by private pre-K. And, IMO, it is about time that people recognize that adults working with children deserve to earn more than people flipping cheeseburgers, no offense to the hard-working people flipping cheesburgers. But, kids are worth more. It is about time people who work with kids get paid more.

And, your wife's school, and others like it, will not go out of business if they continue to promote what they have. Because some public schools are going to have great pre-K programs, and some public schools are going to have not so great pre-K programs. And, no public school will offer a religious program, like your wife's pre-K. Some public schools will have one teacher with 25-35 pre-K kids squished in a classroom like sardines. Some parents don't want that. Some will prefer a small class, with two teachers, in a private religious setting.

I also hope this new competition for private pre-K forces them to reconsider their current policy of not conducting criminal background checks on teachers. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that if one has a criminal conviction, and wants to work with kids for some reason, the place to go is: private school in FL, not a public school, because the criminal record will be revealed to the public school empoloyer.

A parent choosing between private and public pre-K's will want to know the differences in the two settings. The school that did not do a criminal background check, IMO, is shooting itself in the foot here.

While some private schools have much to offer, and some public schools have much to offer, private school pre-K's no longer have a monopoly in the world of pre-K. That is the bottom line.

And I realize that upsets all private school directors of pre-K, because: Due to competition, they too will have to change.

I say: Good. Public schools are changing. Private pre-K may also be changing. This is all to the benefit of the students, parents and teachers, IMO. And, I am not for nor against only "private" or only "public". They can all exist and succeed in this big educational mix here in FL. That's why: eleven new private schools just opened in Orlando.

[Salvation]

I think the government needs to get OUT of pre-school. Let liensed private providers carry the load and get the money.

[summer]

Why? BTW, why do you think the big ice cream companies so desperately wanted Ben and Jerry's out of the ice cream market when Ben and Jerry's first came along? Because they didn't want that competition. They lost market share as a result. They had to compete -- which they didn't want to do.

The government can add pre-K if they want. They may or may not be successful at it, but competition is always good -- and it's good for private pre-K too.

[summer]

Salvation, Also, remember this: private pre-K can go to the public schools and attempt to work as a partner with them, because:
not everyone wants a public school pre-K.

[Salvation]

When I owned a child care center in Oregon (Private and not connected with a church) I could see the steps of the government coming.

You are correct, TA's wife, is stating that the state will pay the tuition at private child care centers and pre-schools, just like they will pay the FTE dollars to a public school system.

I finally got out of the child care and pre-school business after my husband passed away and have not missed it one bit. Especially the county and fire marshall inspections!

Oh, BTW, not all my teachers needed to be licensed either. In fact, only the kindergarten teacher had a certificate. The teachers for the 4, 3, and 2 and 1/2 year olds were not certificated.

[summer]

But the government is not coming after private pre-K in this state. No one is telling private pre-K they "must" raise salaries, or they "must" conduct criminal background checks, or they "must" do all that a public schools must do. They don't have to in this state. But, if private school pre-K's really want to compete, maybe in addition to other steps they take, they will start rethinking the current way some of them do business. And, that can only benefit some people -- for example, their teachers and teacher pay. Like it or not, some private pre-K teachers WILL leave private pre-K now that public schools are adding pre-K. Should these pre-K teachers not have the opportunity to make more money? Isn't that the American way, to better oneself? I think it is. If they leave because of low pay, well, wake up private pre-Ks!

[Salvation]

I think public school teachers would tell you that K has changed in terms of what is being taught now. What was K when you and I grew up is now pre-K -- and, what was 1st grade is really now K. BIG changes have been happening on that K level here in FL's public schools.

I think this is true everywhere. Schools are being dumbed down. When my kindergarten kids left, probably 3/4 of the could read. And yes, I taught phonics.

I just don't think children are being challenged enough today. Hence: home-schooling is winning big time!

Or did I misunderstand your statement and did you mean that kids in Kindergarten now are really doing first grade work rather than doing pre-school work?

[summer]

I took a class with a K public teacher who told me all about the curriculum changes herre in FL in K, and, there is A LOT MORE that kids have to know now on that grade level. So, here in FL at least, there is not the dumbing not via the state -- rather, there are more demands in K.

[summer]

herre = here

[Salvation]

And, one to way to impact and increase the level of student achievement is: early childhood education via pre-K.

Has this even been proven?

Yes, but I do not remember the title of the study. A lot has to do with social adjustment so that when they do go to school they can sit still, stand in a line, eat a lunch, etc.

[Salvation]

"And almost all the parents who win vouchers are taking their state-authorized tuition checks to schools that teach religion."

I think this is a trend we are seeing now and will continue to see. If I had a child care center now I would want it linked with my church (Catholic) so that those values could be taught.

[Salvation]

they "must" conduct criminal background checks,

This, I think, all pre-schools have to do now.

Yes, I had turnover, because I could not afford the huge benefits and salaries that were availble in public school systems. It is just part of the scene.

[Salvation]

Re #72

Sorry, I guess I did misunderstand. That is good. But I have heard the other side of the coin also.

Are we making children grow up too fast and not letting them just play, have fun and be kids?

[summer]

Salvation, What you said above, about fun, was one of Diana's points. She is a pre-K teacher. I think it is fascinating you both mentioned the element of fun -- an important element to me, too, when I was teaching, no matter what grade level.

[summer]

Not in FL. As far as I know, no private school is required to conduct a criminal background check of teachers. But all of FL's public schools require fingerprints and a FBI background check prior to employment of a public school teacher.

[sunshine state]

"the same objection that I once made about a certain well-known educational company. Their reading product had NOT yet been tested in the schools -- and, without disclosing such, they were out in the schools, tyaking up my time away from my classroom, demanding extensive feedback from teachers because: the students in fact were being used as guinea pigs. This is wrong, IMO."

I know this is off-topic, but can you tell me, are you talking about the Accelerated Reader Program or the Reading Counts Program?