Childhood's End

Published in the Minnesota Post, July 18, 2013

The Minnesota Post is clearly enthusiastic about increased federal funding for preschool ("Arne Duncan promotes Preschool for All to close 'opportunity gap'," July 16). Not mentioned, however, is the fact that to be funded, preschool programs have to include standards in language and literacy, and math and science, and that four-year old children will be tested regularly on their progress.

In other words, preschool is now school, with a curriculum and tests. In other words, Preschool for All is simply an extension of the common core standards and tests. There is no evidence supporting the common core for older students and there is no reason to impose it on four-year olds.

Stephen Krashen

Original article: http://www.minnpost.com/learning-curve/2013/07/arne-duncan-promotes-preschool-all-close-opportunity-gap

Sources:

"States will be charged with monitoring these programs, determining their level of quality, making publicly available information about the quality of programs. States will be required to report data and information on these programs, including child outcome data and measures of quality." http://www.ed.gov/budget14/faqs/early-learning#q8

“Fact Sheet President Obama’s Plan for Early Education for all Americans,” at www.whitehouse.gov).

The Federal Register, (vol 78, #97, May 20, 2013), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-05-20/pdf/2013-11821.pdf

"Infants, toddlers and preschoolers are expected in meet standards in 'language and literacy development,' 'cognition and general knowledge' (including early math and early scientific development)..."http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge/annual-performance-reports/mnfinalapr.pdf (p. 60)