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Schools

Foggy prekindergarten plans begin to clear up

Most favor the new standards, but providers still are concerned about costs and regulation.

By JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK
Published March 16, 2005

MIAMI - After months of confusion, Florida's new voluntary prekindergarten program is beginning to take shape.

The state Board of Education on Tuesday approved learning standards for the 150,000 4-year-olds expected to participate when pre-K debuts in August. The standards are focused on language and communication, and the skills that lay a foundation for reading.

"This is a model," board member Donna Callaway said. "You look for weaknesses or gaps, and they're not there."

The state's Office of Early Learning devised the standards after consulting with national experts. Director Shan Goff called their adoption "a big step."

"Everything revolves around standards," said Goff, who said they undergird curricula, instructional strategies and even classroom organization.

Public response to the standards, which have been available for review since February, generally has been positive.

Nearly 100 people, most of them educators but also some parents, e-mailed comments to the state. Another 200 submitted comments at public meetings. About three-fourths were positive.

Danny Morris, president of the Florida Association of Child Care Management, said he is pleased the Department of Education proposed standards reflective of early learning needs.

"Appropriate language skills are more important to a 4-year-old than reading skills," Morris said.

Suzanne Gellens, executive director of the Early Childhood Association of Florida, said she would like to see tougher educational standards for prekindergarten. But given the parameters set by state lawmakers, the DOE did an admirable job, she said.

"They're doing what is right for children," Gellens said.

Some of the negative comments focused on serving children with special learning needs. Others complained about the number of instructional hours the Legislature approved for the program, or called for mandated, rather than voluntary, curriculum choices.

The state board has no control over those aspects of pre-K, and top lawmakers have said they do not plan changes in those areas.

The new standards build upon those already in place to evaluate whether youngsters are ready to enter kindergarten. The additions focus on understanding words and meanings, connecting sentences to build ideas and being motivated to read and write.

Away from the meeting, potential pre-K providers had other concerns. They wanted to know how much money the state is prepared to give them to offer the program. Most are asking for $2,750 to $3,000 per child, before administrative costs.

That could cost as much as $80-million more than what Gov. Jeb Bush has recommended, or about the same amount the intangibles tax would generate if lawmakers don't kill it as Bush has proposed. The providers also want to see the state's rules for operating, which have yet to be written. Public school districts are waiting to be told whether class-size reduction mandates will prevent them from offering prekindergarten.

The new standards can be viewed online at www.myfloridaeducation.com/earlylearning

Jeffrey S. Solochek can be reached at 813 269-5304 or solochek@sptimes.com

[Last modified March 16, 2005, 04:36:09]