"As the issue of preschool heats up, it's critical that we all become informed on the challenges presented by a universal voluntary preschool program," says Yale Wishnick, manager of CTA's Institute for Teaching (IFT).
"From bargaining to credentials, the preschool program will likely change the landscape of public education."
CTA's Institute for Teaching has assumed a leadership role in getting discussions under way. It's conducting an outreach and education campaign to increase awareness about preschool's potential. IFT is hoping a major discussion within the teaching profession and the larger community will lead to the identification of ways to ensure that all children maximize their potential.
The campaign is funded by a grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. [Neither the grant nor the nonprofit foundation is tied to any specific legislation or initiatives.]
To gauge awareness among teachers about the importance of preschool to students' academic success, IFT conducted eight focus groups among CTA members last spring. While teachers in early grades place great value on preschool, IFT learned that teachers in the upper grades don't necessarily know about the impact preschool can have on learning throughout a child's school years.
In late January, the institute invited teachers, parents and other stakeholders to attend preschool briefings in Burlingame, Sacramento, Los Alamitos and Riverside. Titled "From Preschool to High School: The Circle of Learning Starts Now," they provided an overview of the research and prevailing opinion on such topics as strategies for closing the achievement gap, the lasting effects of preschool, preschool as a catalyst for change, and what constitutes a "high quality" preschool.
In addition to using electronic "clickers" to record their opinions for statistical purposes, participants got a chance to share ideas, feedback and concerns.
"As a kindergarten teacher, I'm concerned that if we do have universal preschool, curriculum would be pushed down even more than it is now, so that kindergarten would look like third grade," said Judy West, a member of the Evergreen Teachers Association in San Jose.
Beth Yeager, a panelist and member of the Literacy and Inquiry in Networking Communities who teleconferenced from Santa Barbara, assured West that having "high-quality" preschools is the goal, and that highquality preschool does not mean pushing down curriculum even further.
Other teachers expressed support for requiring credentials for preschool teachers, but were concerned about legislation that would give larger classes to teachers who have not gone through the hoops to become "highly qualified."
For the next step, CTA's IFT will expand the discussion on preschool with a two-day School Community Engagement Summit, scheduled for April 21-22. [Details are yet to be announced. For more information, call (916) 723-2822, ext. 111.]
