The Miami Herald

Down to the wire on high-quality pre-K

OUR OPINION: LAWMAKERS SHOULD DELIVER WHAT VOTERS DEMANDED

Dec. 13, 2004

Florida residents want high-quality pre-kindergarten for their children. That is precisely what legislators should give them. Period. This week, lawmakers will consider a watered-down plan that fails to satisfy the mandate for universal pre-K that voters overwhelmingly approved by constitutional amendment in 2002.

The proposed plan would run pre-K on the cheap. Such a plan wouldn't be worth allocating state dollars to support. The proposal would dilute high standards recommended for teacher-pupil ratios, length of daily instruction and teacher certification. Lawmakers' refusal to approve a quality program would be a setback for children, more than one-third of whom currently start school with an educational deficit and never catch up academically. These children have a higher risk of dropping out of school.

Religious training
As the plan was originally envisioned, parents would receive vouchers to enroll children in accredited pre-school programs in public, private and faith-based institutions.

Some religious providers are concerned that accepting state funds for pre-K would preclude them from giving students religious training. However, this isn't the case. State-funded vouchers would go to parents to use at schools of their choice, including faith-based facilities. Government would be neither promoting nor hindering any religion. In this way, the program passesconstitutional muster.

Legislators should adopt the pre-K recommendations of an advisory panel appointed by Gov. Jeb. Bush, and the governor should insist that they not waver.

The plan requires that teachers have a bachelor's degree and be certified in early-childhood education. Currently, demand exceeds the supply of teachers meeting these qualifications. As a stopgap, lawmakers can allow teachers to have Child Development Associate credentials and require an associate's degree in early childhood within five years and a bachelor's degree in eight years. Child-teacher ratios should remain 10-1. Classes should be accredited to ensure a single standard of education. Also, children should receive at least four hours of daily instruction.

Georgia's example
Some lawmakers believe such a plan is unaffordable and have suggested that instruction be limited to three hours a day. This would be a mistake. Lawmakers should follow Georgia's example. There, state leaders established a quality program with a child-teacher ratio of 10-1 and six hours of instruction daily. The Georgia program raised teacher salaries to attract the best -- including many from Florida.

A quality pre-K would give children the educational underpinning they need to succeed in life. Earlier this year, lawmakers approved an inadequate pre-K plan, which the governor rightly vetoed. They should get it right this week.