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Friday, Jun. 27, 2008

Groups urge older adults to push for pre-school

Generating support for strong pre-kindergarten programs was the focus of two events in Central Kentucky Thursday.

At the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort, the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence announced it has joined with a national group to recruit older adults as advocates for pre-kindergarten programs serving 3- and 4-year-olds. Jane Beshear, wife of Gov. Steve Beshear, and all of Kentucky's living former first ladies took part.

Later, in a ceremony at Lafayette High School, 31 children were awarded certificates for completing a pre-kindergarten program that stresses high standards, strong performance and parental involvement. Fayette County Schools Superintendent Stu Silberman made the presentations at the event, which was sponsored by Directors for Quality in Child Care, an organization made up of 14 area child care centers.

“We teach them Spanish, sign language, they get their sounds down, we have them reading ready, they learn proper social skills, so they're prepared for entering the Fayette County schools,” said Angela Shaw, owner of Shaw's Child Care in Lexington.

Officials with the Prichard Committee and its partner, Generations United of Washington, D.C., said that public pressure from the increasing number of citizens 50 and older can be crucial to making more pre-K programs available.

Jane Beshear reiterated her husband's campaign pledge to expand early childhood education programs. However, state budget cuts this year eliminated any chance for Beshear to act on his pledge in the next two years.

Cindy Heine of the Prichard Committee said the group is “putting a campaign together for 2010” to generate support among lawmakers and taxpayers for expanded pre-K offerings. “I feel very optimistic that when there are dollars available to spend, we'll see something happen,” Heine said.

Also on hand in Frankfort were former first ladies Glenna Fletcher, Judi Patton, Martha Wilkinson, Libby Jones, Phyllis George (Brown), Jean Neel Ford and Charlann Carroll.

Educators say that pre-K programs can improve a state's work force and save tax dollars. Research indicates that children from low-income families, given a chance to attend pre-K, will be more likely to graduate from high school, score higher on standardized tests, and earn higher wages; and will be less likely to be involved in crime, delinquency and teen pregnancy.

Generations United works with more than 100 organizations across the U.S. to stimulate collaboration between aging, children, and youth organizations. The non-profit Prichard Committee advocates for better education in Kentucky.