we've been mentally preparing ourselves for the added expense of tuition for next year, but needing to put up almost $700 right now (first and last month's fees) to secure her a place for a year from now made me feel panicky. we could swing it, but just barely. what if we were a one-income family? what if we made substantially less and had very limited savings? i know that many, if not most, families are in that boat.
i'm relieved that we're not in waiting list limbo now, as many pre-pre-school parents are. when E was born, two years ago, we were advised to get her on school and after-school waiting lists as soon as possible. all of the advice was like a persistent ringing in my ears. always there, but never very clear. who do we talk to? where? what are the best programs? do public schools have programs? how long are the waiting lists? it often felt like more than enough just to concern myself with whatever stage or phase baby E was going through, much less think years ahead to when she'd be a walking, talking, play-purse-carrying pre-schooler.
the census bureau reports that, after housing and groceries, the greatest expense for young families is child care. i know that for probably all of you reading this, that's not at all a surprise. what's especially discouraging is how few states provide anything close to universal access to early education for pre-schoolers. the national institute for early education research (NIEER) reports that, as of 2008:
-there are still 12 states that offer absolutely no state subsidized pre-school--no special education, no head start, nothing*.
-the state that does the best job of providing near-universal access to early education is oklahoma, where a full 88% of 4-year olds are enrolled in state pre-k, special ed, or head start programs (the next best are florida at 74% and georgia at 61% ).
-illinois and arkansas are the best states for subsidized pre-school for 3-year olds, with 32% enrolled in state pre-k, special ed or head start at that age.
-if the expansion of state-sponsored pre-k programs follows past growth rates, it will take 20 years to gain universal pre-k access for 4-year olds and 150 years for 3-year olds.
the US pioneered universal public school access for 6-year olds at the beginning of the last century, but we've clearly fallen behind. michael moore fans and freedom fry haters might already know that 99% of french 3-5 year olds are enrolled in pre-schools that are either free or at a small cost to families (ann crittenden, the price of motherhood, pp. 263-264).
we can afford a high-quality pre-school, but many families can't, and it's kids whose families have limited resources that need early education the most. i'm reminded of this classic bumper sticker/t-shirt image:
http://www.pureparents.org/data/files/Bake%20Sale%20T-Shirt%20%281066%29.jpg*those states are alaska, hawaii, idaho, indiana, mississippi, montana, new hampshire, north dakota, rhode island, south dakota, utah and wyoming.
4 comments:
Yikes. That makes me a bit fidgety about placing A in daycare/preschool when I do go back to work. A big reason I stayed home in the first place was lack of adequate care options (and LONG waiting lists) in Memphis. Sounds like your Montessori is possibly the same spot where our neighbors just enrolled their three year old.
Wow. What you guys have there in ICIA is really CHEAP! No public prek here.(there is a lottery for public montessori kindergarten) .. montessori pre-K in our area runs 11-1400 per month.traditional programs range from 7-1000 per month.
The preschool my children are enrolled in is a church-sponsored one, but out enrollment fee was around that much (for two children).
I cannot tell you how much it has been worth it for both kids, however. They have grown so much, and are really developing so many skills. I wish all kids had access to pre-school from an early age (much like they do in some other industrialized nations). -rachel
here, here. thanks for the thought-provoking post. i haven't even THOUGHT about preschools for jack, yet. i have it on my "to-do" list to read about montessori so that i can decide if it seems like a good fit for him. but visit, put down a payment for a waiting list, nada. yikes, something else to add to my mental list of "gotta get to this...."
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