Few questions answered on pre-k program
Information about state funding and the curriculum is scarce.
By JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK
Published February 4, 2005
TAMPA - Susan Morris expected to discuss the state's new prekindergarten program Thursday with about a dozen preschool directors.
But more than 130 people showed up to hear the Hillsborough school district's pre-k expert provide details about the program, which debuts in August. The vast majority arrived undecided about whether to participate.
Many left feeling the same way.
"It's nice to come here, but (there is) still nothing for us to follow," said Janeen Stokes, a board member for Gabrielle's Glen preschool in Temple Terrace. "We're still uninformed."
Morris said at the beginning of her talk that she did not have answers to many of the questions concerning rules and requirements. She told them her briefing was accurate "as of 10:30 a.m. Feb. 3."
"I can tell you, by the hour things are changing," Morris said.
That did not reassure officials at the private schools and care centers, which already are enrolling 4-year-olds for the fall. Many directors said they would like to offer the state program, if only to ease the financial burden on families who already attend.
But their comments and questions indicated a reluctance to commit to the three-hour daily program without having more information about particulars, including state funding and the role religion will play in the curriculum.
"We basically want to know what the criteria are, what the restrictions are, what expectations we have to meet," said Julie Perez, director of A Child's World Learning Academy on Sligh Avenue.
Directors of several of the private, for-profit centers worry the state will not cover the true cost of educating students. Gov. Bush has recommended spending $2,500 per child, minus 5 percent for regional program administration.
They asked if they could turn away students whose families do not want to attend before- and after-school programs, where many of the centers expect to make up the difference. The law states that schools may not charge parents for the 540-hour program, but allows them to charge for services that wrap around the instruction time.
Morris said she expected this issue to be a major challenge for many of the centers that the state is counting on to provide space. But she did not know the answer and encouraged those with concerns to check with the state bureaucrats charged with interpreting the law.
An Agency for Workforce Innovation spokesman said the law does not allow schools to require children to enroll for other services to be eligible for prekindergarten.
Faith-based providers, meanwhile, wanted assurances that they would not have to excise their beliefs from their teachings.
"We want to make sure there are no restrictions," said Lynette O'Neal, director of Crossroads Baptist Church Daycare Center in Lithia, where parents are inquiring about the availability of state pre-k.
The longer that schools delay in deciding whether they will offer state-funded prekindergarten, the more problematic the program could be for parents. Formal registration is scheduled to begin March 1, and the regional early learning coalitions assigned to run the process are supposed to give families rosters of participating schools that include such details as teacher credentials and the type of curriculum.
They may not have that information if the schools are not signed up.
Morris said she did not worry that Hillsborough County will fail to meet the program demands, even though it might be difficult to serve as many as 15,000 4-year-olds.
"Do I stay up at night worried about this? Not really," she said. "We are so far ahead of other communities."
As of Thursday, 44 Hillsborough schools and centers had told the state they might participate. And 733 Hillsborough children, of 7,755 statewide, had preregistered.
Jeffrey S. Solochek can be reached at 813 269-5304 or solochek@sptimes.com