Preschool: Should School Districts Offer Free K3 and K4?
By berlynn1975
@berlynn1975 (737)
United States
January 3, 2007 6:06am CST
I just want to poll people and get peoples' opinions on this matter?
Not everyone can afford quality preschool, and some may not qualify for Head Start.
Do you think that districts should offer free pre K 3 and 4 (or at least 4) for residents of the district who choose to send their children?
4 responses
@MrsFrizzle (1963)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I am not sure how it is in every school district. However in the united states they have the no child left behind act. Children are now learning to read by kindergarden. They will know how to read by the end of kindergarden or they will not advance to the first grade. It is good to teach them these things young because children obsorb a lot of information when thye are young. However as a kindergarden teacher Unfortantly I see children start kindergarden with no knowledge of their abs, numbers, nt even the basics that children used to learn in kindergarden. Sure it is a parents job to teach this but unfortantly not all parents actualy do. It is a shame really. Not only thins but children get very little time to play socialy and learn what it is like to work with others.
My point is I think pre school should not only be free but it should also required.
@berlynn1975 (737)
• United States
3 Jan 07
Thank you so much for your opinion. I agree with a lot of what you wrote. Kindergarten is so different than it was 25 years ago when I went. We didn't learn to read, just basically numbers and letters and practice with writing.
I even think it's stranger that kindergarten is not state mandated.
So, you're a kindergarten teacher? In which State?
@crystal8577 (1466)
• United States
3 Jan 07
This is not always true. I have a 2nd & Kindergartener & I know my oldest was not reading until 1st grade. It was just not really taught in Kindergatern. She has made the honor roll for 2 years now so it is not that she is not intelligent. I don't think my Kindergartener will be reading by the end of this year. She knows how to read a handful of words at this point.
@berlynn1975 (737)
• United States
7 Jan 07
I wanted to discuss you being a teacher, MrsFrizzle, but you didn't answer my question in my comment.
@bonnielass (484)
• United States
5 Jan 07
I believe so, as kindergarten is so much harder now. If they dont get the pre k they will really be left behind and stuggling.
@berlynn1975 (737)
• United States
7 Jan 07
Thanks a lot. In our family, my husband works, and I am a SAHM. We really cannot afford sending our children to a separate pre-school. Mainly for that reason, I wish it would be included in our public school systems.
@krysy1982 (1041)
• United States
3 Jan 07
Our school district offers free k-4 they provide the school supplies also.
@berlynn1975 (737)
• United States
3 Jan 07
That's so great. I wish ours did too. The church where I go hosts a school. They have pre K3, pre K4, up to about 5th or 6th grade. I love that idea. However, I do not have the financial resources to send my daughter there.
@KrabbyPatty (64)
• United States
4 Jan 07
Some schools here offer free pre-K (which is K4) but the number of classes are so limited that a couple hundred children have to audition for the 20 or so spaces in the class. Unfortunately, I think alot of the children who needed the class to get up to speed academically and socially for kindergarten did not qualify for the class BECAUSE they did not yet have the skills required.
@berlynn1975 (737)
• United States
4 Jan 07
That's really sad. You would think, that schools would see the lack of skills and realize, "hey, this child needs to be in here!"
