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U.S. NEWSWednesday 27 December 2017
As child care costs soar, public preschool spots are limited
By SALLY HO
Associated Press
SEATTLE (AP) — In perhaps
an unexpected twist, histor-
ically conservative strong-
holds like Oklahoma and
West Virginia are leading
efforts to bring preschool to Creative Kids Learning Center, a school that focuses on pre-kindergarten for 4- and 5-year-olds, in
all.
“They have in common a
low-wage workforce, rela-
tively low education levels
and the desire to change
that,” said Steven Barnett
of the National Institute for
Early Education Research.
“Whatever they say, politi-
cians in West Virginia know
the future of their state is
not coal miners.”
Other red states that have
notable programs include
Alabama and Georgia. But
some liberal-leaning cities
like Seattle and New York
also are running public pre-
K programs.
Advocates say more uni-
versal programs are need-
ed to address what they
call an alarming increase
in child care costs. Studies
have shown that children
who attend a high-quality
preschool are more ad-
justed for the rest of their
academic lives and have
better outcomes as adults,
from higher incomes to
healthier lifestyles.
Around the country, some
budding programs say
there are not enough seats
to meet demand and not
enough money to make it
happen.
Programs in Seattle and
New York enjoy over-
whelming support locally,
which in turn puts pressure
on their state lawmakers to
act as they face growing
inequity in public educa-
tion and research that touts
the benefits of high-quality for low-income children. administration but has One of the central goals of
preschool is social devel-
education in the critical Aanchal Mehrotra’s 4-year- been virtually unaddressed opment, which advocates
say will help children get
early years. old son is one of 300 kids by President Donald Trump. adjusted to learning in a
structured setting and is es-
Assistant teacher D’onna Hartman reads to Frederick Frenious, left, and Gus Saunders at the pecially important for low-
income children. But for
Seattle. Hartman used the “boo boo bag” corner to settle the two down after a small altercation left many families, cost is a ma-
one in tears. In perhaps an unexpected twist, historically conservative strongholds like Oklahoma jor factor. Child Care Aware
and West Virginia are leading efforts to bring preschool to all and Alabama and Georgia are also of America reports that the
red states that have notable programs. But some liberal leaning-cities like Seattle and New York average cost of child care
also are running public pre-K programs. per year for a 4-year-old in
a licensed facility ranged
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) from $14,000 in Massachu-
setts to $4,500 in Mississippi.
“Clearly, a statewide pro- now on the waiting list for Instead, Trump’s daugh- In Oklahoma and West Vir-
gram would be so much the Seattle Preschool Pro- ter and adviser Ivanka ginia, preschool is offered
better, and it should be gram, but she says she Trump has dabbled with to virtually all 4-year-olds.
available to all 3- and doesn’t have much hope policies aimed at tackling West Virginia’s program
4-year-olds. It’s the best in- that he’ll get in. The Seat- child care costs. A report last year cost $142 million
vestment we can make to tle preschool class would by Democrats on the Joint — nearly a third of which
right the wrongs of genera- cost the family just $365 a Economic Committee in was covered through fed-
tions,” said Tim Burgess, a month. She’s paying almost Congress this year indicat- eral funding — to educate
retired Seattle mayor and four times that much for a ed that less than half of the 14,940 children, including
city councilman credited month at a private day nation’s 3- and 4-year-olds 3-year-olds with special
with creating the Seattle care franchise. were in a pre-K program, needs and all 4-year-olds.
Preschool Program. “It’s so expensive and be- ranging from 75 percent The program was built up
It is now in its third year, come so difficult to afford,” in Washington, D.C., to just slowly over the past de-
serving 979 children with a said Mehrotra, a research 30 percent in Idaho. The cade through layers of leg-
sliding scale tuition model. scientist. “I’m just waiting programs vary in quality islative wins that strength-
About 80 percent of them for him to turn 5 so he can and structure, with some ened accessibility, partner-
go for free. Burgess is now get into kindergarten.” offering just a few hours a ships, and most critically,
pushing for a universal The universal preschool week of learning sessions funding. “We have some
statewide offering in Wash- movement hit peak mo- and others that are more very dedicated champions
ington, beyond its program mentum under the Obama similar to a full school day. at the Legislature who re-
ally felt the need to look at
the welfare of the children
in our state,” said Monica
DellaMea, who oversees
early learning at the state
education department.
Access to preschool is also
widely available in Wash-
ington, D.C., Vermont and
Florida. Though other cities
and states have been able
to launch preschool pro-
grams, funding often limits
access, creating programs
for the poor or disabled or
limited to a certain district
— instead of a truly univer-
sal one.q