How can we give students options when their public schools are failing them?
What exactly is NCLB and how is it effecting our education system?
How do we ensure that all children are prepared to enter kindergarten?
Why are we struggling to recruit and retain teachers? What reforms do the candidates propose to solve the teacher shortage and improve their working conditions?
With a struggling economy, should lawmakers place further emphasis on federally-funded school-to-work programs? Moreover, do they work?
Who are the key players changing education today?
Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP)
Early Childhood Education
What is the problem?
- Many children enter kindergarten without the necessary skills to succeed.
- Without a strong foundation at an early age, all children, especially those who are otherwise disadvantaged, will fall behind their peers even before reaching kindergarten.
- This lack of pre-kindergarten education creates a gap which remains prevalent throughout all levels of schooling.
- According to Nobel prize winning economist, James Heckman, investing in early childhood education gives more effective results than investing in education for adolescents or young adults. In other words, earlier is better.
The Heckman Curve, explained in this powerpoint:
What is early childhood education?
- Preschool: This includes any program intended to prepare children for schooling. Preschool often addresses social and academic preparedness, typically geared towards three and four year olds.
- Childcare: These programs aim to provide a safe place for children whose parents are unable to take care of them during the day. This could include a relative, small home daycare, or a large licensed daycare center.
- Head Start and Early Head Start: These are specific government funded programs that often combine aspects of preschool and childcare for low-income families.
See Candidate Perspectives on this issue