Incidentally, Bill de Blasio, the recently elected governor of New York ran his campaign with the promise of implementing universal pre-k for all children in the state. Since all families cannot afford private preschool in New York, which can run upwards of $20,000 in New York City, de Blasio promised to find a way to fund affordable or free preschool for all children in the state (Hymowitz, 2013).
However, a contrary article in The New York Times the following week entitled “Universal Pre-K Won’t Solve Vocabulary Gap (Or Inequality)” stated that pre-k for disadvantaged kids has been shown to bolster math and reading scores; however, it is usually a temporary fix. In fact, Hymowitz (2013) asserted that these gains normally “fade-out” by third grade. Hymowitz suggested that unsupportive home environments are usually not able to support the gains made by the preschools.
Hymowitz (2013) stated that supporters of universal pre-school have been able to prove that children’s “soft skills” are often strengthened through early education and they are able to develop a stronger sense of self, which in turn helps them to stay out of trouble later in life. However, Hymowitz is again doubtful of these findings, citing that there were very few studies, which included a small sample size of students that were able to substantiate these claims.
Although many remain hopeful that more equality in the access to preschool education can help to level the playing field for disadvantaged children later in life, Hymowitz remains doubtful, citing that the home and the family plays a much more significant role in determining long-term success of children, academically and socially.
References
Hymowitz, K. (2013). Universal pre-k won’t solve vocabulary gap (or inequality). The New York Times. Retrieved from: ideas.times.org
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