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KIDZRMYBIZ 08:28 AM 02-26-2015
I'm in Nebraska, and the "Free Preschool for All" has begun. There was a news article that outlined a huge, new program that begins NEXT school year already for kids 3 and 4yo for "high-quality preschool" free for low income. Now, we already have this, of course (our district is nationally top-rated for just about everything educational - I feel very fortunate to live here), but this new program is supposedly unlike what is being offered now. It will serve 4,100 kids across all 11 area school districts. That's a lot of kids. And I'd bet the 16/17 school year will bring an offer of partial-parent-pay placement, and the 17/18 school year will be the year that ALL kids start public school at the age of 4, maybe even 3. I shouldn't be, but I'm surprised that it starts this year in August already. It's going to be a daycare game-changer for sure.
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Leigh 08:32 AM 02-26-2015
I find this push to put children in school so young to be so sad. I don't believe it is developmentally appropriate, and think it has a lot more to do with accommodating families with two working parents so that they can avoid daycare costs than it has to do with the best interests of the children. I am glad that mine will be grown before school becomes mandatory at such a young age (and it probably will).
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Blackcat31 08:32 AM 02-26-2015
I am in MN and our legislators just voted against universal preschool bill on Tuesday!

"After several hours of testimony on the bill, including an initial hearing last week, the committee voted 11-8 along party lines to reject the bill."

http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/ses...x?StoryID=5498
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Leigh 08:41 AM 02-26-2015
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I am in MN and our legislators just voted against universal preschool bill on Tuesday!

"After several hours of testimony on the bill, including an initial hearing last week, the committee voted 11-8 along party lines to reject the bill."

http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/ses...x?StoryID=5498
A win for kids!
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Blackcat31 08:51 AM 02-26-2015
Originally Posted by Leigh:
A win for kids!
Yes!!! We have a gal that has several groups on Facebook and she lobbies BIG time for child care providers and putting a stop to some of the ridiculous things legislators have come up with lately.

She really rallies the troops and gets people to e-mail, talk and protest against anything that could hurt the care and education of these young kids. She has spent days at the capital doing what all of us would do if we had the time and/or knowledge to do!

She is fantastic and honestly a lot of the changes in our state that have ben positive for this profession are due to her actions!
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Leigh 09:02 AM 02-26-2015
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Yes!!! We have a gal that has several groups on Facebook and she lobbies BIG time for child care providers and putting a stop to some of the ridiculous things legislators have come up with lately.

She really rallies the troops and gets people to e-mail, talk and protest against anything that could hurt the care and education of these young kids. She has spent days at the capital doing what all of us would do if we had the time and/or knowledge to do!

She is fantastic and honestly a lot of the changes in our state that have ben positive for this profession are due to her actions!
Are these groups that I would be able to follow? I'm sure interested, if you can share them!
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Blackcat31 09:19 AM 02-26-2015
Originally Posted by Leigh:
Are these groups that I would be able to follow? I'm sure interested, if you can share them!
I don't see why not... they are about MN legislative action but seems what happens in one state is not too far off from another.

I am not logged into FB right now and am just getting ready to do lunch so if you hang tight until after I get everyone fed and down for a nap, I'll post the links to her groups.
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daycarediva 10:44 AM 02-26-2015
Originally Posted by Leigh:
I find this push to put children in school so young to be so sad. I don't believe it is developmentally appropriate, and think it has a lot more to do with accommodating families with two working parents so that they can avoid daycare costs than it has to do with the best interests of the children. I am glad that mine will be grown before school becomes mandatory at such a young age (and it probably will).
I completely agree!

It's in full tilt here for the 4's, no plans for 3's yet without MAJOR overhauls, there is simply no space for them. So far, I haven't lost any clients to it partly because the program already has such a TERRIBLE reputation.

Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I am in MN and our legislators just voted against universal preschool bill on Tuesday!

"After several hours of testimony on the bill, including an initial hearing last week, the committee voted 11-8 along party lines to reject the bill."

http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/ses...x?StoryID=5498

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Shell 12:00 PM 02-26-2015
Originally Posted by Leigh:
I find this push to put children in school so young to be so sad. I don't believe it is developmentally appropriate, and think it has a lot more to do with accommodating families with two working parents so that they can avoid daycare costs than it has to do with the best interests of the children. I am glad that mine will be grown before school becomes mandatory at such a young age (and it probably will).

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Jack Sprat 12:12 PM 02-26-2015
Well, here in KS with Brownback as governor we won't have to worry about that since we have NO money for education.

But, I do agree it saddens and sickens me to see these kids pushed into learning what they are not ready to learn.
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_Dana_ 12:30 PM 02-26-2015
Originally Posted by KIDZRMYBIZ:
I'm in Nebraska, and the "Free Preschool for All" has begun. There was a news article that outlined a huge, new program that begins NEXT school year already for kids 3 and 4yo for "high-quality preschool" free for low income.
I'm also in Nebraska, but have not seen the article. Was it in the newspaper? If so, which one?
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Unregistered 02:36 AM 02-27-2015
We already have free 5 day a week full day 4k, but it's not all across the state at all. We are in a very low income county so maybe our school gets extra grants. Other schools in the county only do two full days though. They have started 3k now four half days a week-free. Serves maybe 30 kids.

I'm moving to Mn!
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Play Care 05:06 AM 02-27-2015
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
I completely agree!

It's in full tilt here for the 4's, no plans for 3's yet without MAJOR overhauls, there is simply no space for them. So far, I haven't lost any clients to it partly because the program already has such a TERRIBLE reputation.



Agreed. We have a UPK in the next town over, but I don't know anyone who would voluntarily send their kids there. Most that can afford it, do private preschool.

And we have districts in our area that hardly have space for Kindergartners, much less 4's and 3's.
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originalkat 06:09 AM 02-27-2015
Are these universal preschools full-day programs?
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Sunshine74 03:56 PM 02-28-2015
Originally Posted by Play Care:
Agreed. We have a UPK in the next town over, but I don't know anyone who would voluntarily send their kids there. Most that can afford it, do private preschool.

And we have districts in our area that hardly have space for Kindergartners, much less 4's and 3's.
We have a couple 4s at the UPK, but it fills quickly and it over by 11ish so we don't really lose kids to it (only have 3 that go this year), because we do transportation.
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Laurel 03:44 AM 03-01-2015
Originally Posted by originalkat:
Are these universal preschools full-day programs?
It probably depends on the area. Here in Florida we have had them for several years. It did cut into our home daycare business here.

Ours are full time, 5 days a week. The state pays for the preschool portion of the day but not before and after care. Still, it is cheaper for parents then paying for full time care. All centers here offer it and home daycares can but it is so impractical (with their rules for it) that most don't. I know a few that do though.

Laurel

Edited to add: It is for 4 year olds and is called VPK (voluntary pre kindergarten). So children are not required to attend but most do as who can resist free daycare?
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Unregistered 08:05 AM 03-01-2015
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I don't see why not... they are about MN legislative action but seems what happens in one state is not too far off from another.

I am not logged into FB right now and am just getting ready to do lunch so if you hang tight until after I get everyone fed and down for a nap, I'll post the links to her groups.
Would you be able to give those links?
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Silly Songs 12:14 PM 03-01-2015
I have to say , I'm not against free preschool . Maybe for 4's . Many children do not have the opportunity to read books , practice writing letters , learning the alphabet etc at home . Some are being raised in drug addiction environments , or by elderly grandparents who may not even think these skills are necessary for success in kindergarten and beyond . But I wonder what the difference is between these preschools for low income and Head Start ? I thought that was for low income children to prepare for school .
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Annalee 01:32 PM 03-01-2015
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I am in MN and our legislators just voted against universal preschool bill on Tuesday!

"After several hours of testimony on the bill, including an initial hearing last week, the committee voted 11-8 along party lines to reject the bill."

http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/ses...x?StoryID=5498
My state was allotted a large sum of federal money for Pre-K (4 yr olds) here but it still is for income eligible kids first, then may fill with anyone...As for my county, there are a few pre-k classrooms but I don't lose many kids to them because most parents can't pick up by the allotted time or most schools do not have space for a pre-k classroom in the school (most schools here are overcrowded as it is, much less with pre-k). I do believe universal pre-k will gradually be everywhere but I am safe right now.
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KIDZRMYBIZ 12:18 PM 03-04-2015
Originally Posted by _Dana_:
I'm also in Nebraska, but have not seen the article. Was it in the newspaper? If so, which one?
Omaha World Herald. You can go to the website and search on "Learning Community."
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