Latest news with #StateofPreschoolYearbook
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Arizona ranks low for preschool enrollment, annual study finds
Arizona ranks among the lowest in the nation for public preschool enrollment of 4-year-olds, according to a recently released study. During the 2023-24 school year, only 4% of 4-year-olds in Arizona were enrolled in public preschool, falling far below the national average of 35%, according to the 2024 State of Preschool Yearbook from the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University. Arizona now ranks 44th and 27th for pre-school enrollment among 4- and 3-year-olds, respectively, down from 43rd and 24th in the 2022-23 school year. Despite stagnant preschool enrollment numbers, Arizona saw major increases in overall preschool spending and per-student spending largely due to COVID-19 recovery funding from the federal government, according to the latest State of Preschool Yearbook. Except during the COVID-19 pandemic, the national average of 4-year-olds enrolled in public preschool has steadily increased since the 2001-02 school year, going from 14% to 37% in the 2023-24 school year. In Arizona in the 2023-24 school year, the share of 4-year-olds enrolled in a public preschool remained similar to pre-pandemic numbers at 4%, but fell below the 6% of 4-year-olds enrolled during the 2001-02 school year. Arizona saw a minimal increase in the number of 3- to 4-year-olds enrolled in public preschool in the 2023-24 year compared to the previous year: an uptick of 369 students for a total of 6,323. The total does not include the roughly 9,000 students enrolled in special education and 12,000 students in Head Start. Including special education and Head Start students, only about 13% of 3-year-olds and 18% of 4-year-olds in Arizona are enrolled in public early childhood education. These percentages are still lower than the national average of 17% of three-year-olds and 47% of four-year-olds. Arizona does not support universal preschool, fully-funded preschool to 3- and 4-year-olds regardless of income. Washington, D.C., and Vermont have the highest preschool enrollment rates for 3- and 4-year-olds in the nation, and both offer universal preschool. Colorado rocketed from 27th to 3rd place for access to preschool among 4-year-olds after launching its universal preschool program. Arizona also does not require schools to offer full-day kindergarten, and only provides 2.5 hours of state-funded kindergarten, also known as half-day kindergarten. The National Institute for Early Education Research's State of Preschool Yearbook has 10 recommended benchmarks that states should follow for successful and high-quality public preschool. Arizona meets three benchmarks: a comprehensive standard for learning, a strong curriculum and a system designed to continuously improve. The seven benchmarks Arizona does not meet are: a required bachelor's degree and specialized preschool training for preschool teachers, a Child Development Associate credential for assistant teachers, recommended professional development for preschool staff, maximum classroom sizes of 20 students, a 1-to-10 teacher-to-student ratio and annual student health screenings. The benchmarks are only minimums, however, and 'if programs are adequately funded, they're not constrained to do the least that they can do,' said Steve Barnett, the National Institute for Early Education Research's founder. States spent over $13.6 billion in preschool funding in the 2023-34 school year, a 17% increase compared to the previous year. Arizona spent $50.4 million, a 56.4% increase from the previous year. Arizona increased its per student spending for preschoolers by $2,585 to a total of $7,972 and was one of only five states in the country to increase preschool student spending by over $2,500. The National Institute for Early Education Research estimates $10,865 per student would be required for Arizona to deliver high-quality preschools. Arizona's increases were primarily due to the use of COVID-19 recovery funds to expand Quality First Scholarships by First Things First, an early childhood agency. Quality First Scholarships allow families enrolling their child in a participating preschool to help cover some or all of the expenses. First Things First was created to allocate funds from tobacco tax revenues to health programs and early childhood development. With declining sales of tobacco, revenue has dropped 37.9% since 2008, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research. Despite the declining pool of available funding, First Things First has been spending more on each student's scholarship over the years, which can negatively impact overall enrollment. Coverage of education solutions on and in The Arizona Republic is partially supported by a grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation's Arizona Community Collaborative Fund. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona ranks low for preschool enrollment, annual study finds
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Decline in preschool access continues in Virginia, despite legislative efforts
(Getty Images) Virginia has provided thousands of children access to preschool over a year's time, but the commonwealth continues to trail other states, which are expanding services and providing more kids a chance at early learning. According to the National Institute for Early Education Research's State of Preschool Yearbook, Virginia has dropped by three spots to 26th in the country in offering preschool access for 3-year-olds, but maintained its 30th place ranking for preschool access for 4-year-olds. Last year, nearly 10,000 parents in the commonwealth were seeking early childhood care and education services, primarily in the southern and central regions. However, Virginia has made strides enrolling an additional 824 students to its Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) and Mixed Delivery programs. VPI is offered for free for four-year-old children and Mixed Delivery offers funding to private, community-based preschools to serve children at risk of entering school without the necessary skills. Angela Mancipe, a parent of two from Chesterfield County, said finding a preschool spot for her oldest child during the pandemic was a challenge for her and her husband, considering the waitlist amid nationwide health concerns. While her son was able to land a spot six months later, Mancipe's life changed after losing her job and becoming pregnant with her daughter, who was also able to be enrolled in a preschool program. Mancipe recently accepted a part-time assistant teacher position at her daughter's preschool to help bring in some income, which is housed within a church daycare. She's fearful of losing her daughter's spot, saying that when they were first searching for a preschool for her, some of their calls went unanswered. Like many families, the cost of their children's care and early education is also a persistent challenge. 'It's insane how much it costs to have your child in daycare,' Mancipe said. 'We are very fortunate when it comes to being able to even live off of one income, but to pay double your mortgage to have your children in a safe and well cared for facility with good providers where they'll get quality care and education, it shouldn't be double your mortgage.' The National Institute for Early Education Research said in a statement that state initiatives 'propelled' early childhood education in the United States to 'historic highs' during the 2023-2024 school year, as preschools recovered from the impacts of the pandemic. 'Yet, progress has been highly uneven from state to state. While many states advanced by enrolling more children in quality preschool, others lagged, funding no preschool or only low quality programs,' researchers stated. 'As federal cutbacks in education and elsewhere are being implemented, it is notable that federal COVID-19 recovery funding played a crucial role in sustaining and advancing preschool, and other federal funds underpin state programs and decrease inequality among the states in access to quality preschool education.' According to the report, the institute determined the commonwealth's Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) program met five of the 10 quality standard benchmarks, and Mixed Delivery programs, which offer services for infants to preschoolers, met four out of 10. Virginia met the benchmarks for both programs by conducting a process to observe student and teacher behaviors in the classroom, meeting the staff-to-child ratio of 1:10 for 3- and 4-year-olds, and following a 'comprehensive, aligned, supported and culturally sensitive' set of development standards. The programs fell short of the requirements, including: that the lead teacher must have a minimum of a bachelor's degree and specialized training in Pre-K; the assistant teacher must have a minimum of a Child Development Associate (CDA) degree; and the teachers must receive at least 15 hours per year of in-service professional development and training, individualized annual professional development plans and coaching. Allison Gilbreath, senior director of policy and programs at Voices for Virginia's Children, said in a statement to the Mercury that the report indicating the decline in preschool access is concerning, given that Virginia's two preschool programs enrolled nearly 25,000 children last year. 'Investments in four-year-old classrooms are important — but they're only one piece of the puzzle,' Gilbreath said. 'To truly support families and providers, we need a coordinated early childhood system that strengthens access and sustainability across all age groups. A holistic approach is essential to meet the needs of children from birth to five.' With the uncertainty regarding the national climate lawmakers and advocates are concerned that federal government funding cuts could jeopardize other early childhood care and education initiatives. 'I am very concerned that progress made at the state level could be affected by cuts at the federal level,' said Del. David Bulova, D-Fairfax. 'Early childhood care and education sets the foundation for years of learning and becoming a productive member of society. It is an investment worth protecting and expanding.' Bulova carried a successful budget amendment to address the early childhood care and education program waitlist in January. Although the amendment did not eliminate the waitlist for the programs entirely, Bulova said it did make significant progress by reducing the Child Care Subsidy Program (CCSP) waitlist by 5,437 since the start of the year. The waitlist currently stands at 3,278. Mancipe said she and other parents appreciate the legislature's work but would like to see it go further. One area she recommended lawmakers continue to address is creating a stable, adequate funding for childcare to support families and providers due to the high costs and staffing shortages. 'We are very thankful for their commitment for what they are doing and the efforts they are making,' Mancipe said. 'I think we still have a long way to go.' During this year's two-month legislative session, the General Assembly and Gov. Glenn Youngkin approved proposals directing the state to develop a plan for mental health screenings and services for children under the age of 5, clarifying how publicly funded early childhood programs are excluded from specific oversight requirements and expanding the Early Childhood Care and Education Commission by one member, bringing the total to 32. The commission is tasked with providing recommendations for and tracking progress on financing Virginia's comprehensive birth-to-five early childhood care and education system, or VQB5, to improve children's school readiness and expand access to parents and support providers. Lawmakers attempted to launch a $25 million Employee Child Care Assistance Pilot Program to expand access to childcare. However the amendment to the biennium budget measure was vetoed by Youngkin earlier this month. Youngkin said while the commonwealth has made 'historical investments' in early learning and child care this biennium, the effort is best considered 'in a bill and at a smaller scale to determine program effectiveness and scalability.' Another failed measure would have strengthened incentives for childcare providers to remain open during 'nontraditional' working hours to better serve health care professionals, hospitality workers, first responders, military families, and others with unique needs, said Del. Phil Hernandez, D-Norfolk, who carried the bill. 'There was strong interest in this bill, but it did not advance due to the fiscal impact. We'll return to this issue in the future,' Hernandez said in a statement to the Mercury. Other proposals that failed to pass during the short session earlier this year would have increased funding for kindergarten readiness programs, expanded child care to certain qualifying child care providers at no charge and improved retention and recruitment of child care educators designating them as a priority group for the CCSP. Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, D-Alexandria, who carried the retention bill, said as a mother of a 2-year-old she understands the challenge of finding affordable, quality childcare. 'I want all Virginia families to be able to access affordable, quality early childhood education and care from birth. While we are not there yet, we have also made a lot of progress,' Bennett Parker said in a statement. She said one area the NIEER report does not cover is the additional 1,000 subsidy slots lawmakers added over two years in the biennium budget. One program that concerns advocates and lawmakers is Head Start. This program aims to provide all-inclusive education, health, and nutrition services to children whose families fall below the federal poverty line, which is currently around $30,000 for a family of four. However, on Wednesday, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr. testified that President Donald Trump's budget would not eliminate the program. Yet some regional offices have been closed and funding has been frozen. 'Protecting and expanding Head Start is a foundational investment,' said Dawn Ault, executive director of the Virginia Head Start Association. 'Any reduction or disruption would create childcare deserts where working parents would face impossible choices: leaving the workforce, relying on unreliable care, or falling into deeper financial hardship.' Head Start was also one of the programs recommended to be eliminated by the authors of Project 2025, a conservative plan for how the country should operate if a Republican won the recent presidential election. In 2021, the authors wrote that the program negatively affected children and that the federal government should discontinue it. However, Ault said an investment in Head Start benefits families and taxpayers. According to the Virginia Head Start Association, Virginia offers 52 Head Start and Early Head Start programs. 'For every $1 invested in Head Start, we see up to $9 in long-term returns,' Ault said. 'That's not frivolous spending — it's smart, conservative investing in our future.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What to know about Bezos Academy, the Jeff Bezos preschool opening in Arizona
Glendale is getting a new tuition-free preschool inspired by the Montessori method that builds upon children's natural interests and prioritizes hands-on learning. Bezos Academy will open on the property of Desert Garden Preschool, part of the Glendale Elementary School District, and offer full tuition and meals for children 3 to 5 whose households fall below 400% of the federal poverty level, $128,600 for a family of four, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Three classrooms will open at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year, and there are plans to expand at the Desert Garden Preschool site in the future. Bezos Academy was started by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, among the richest people in the world, to increase access to early childhood development in underserved communities. After Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers met with Bezos four years ago, he connected the team behind Bezos Academy with the most challenged school districts in Glendale to prepare them for grade school. 'Rather than your kindergarten teachers having to start teaching them English and everything else from that point, they're at a disadvantage then," Weiers said. "Get them started earlier." Bezos Academy uses a 'Montessori-inspired approach' that focuses on children's individual interests and allows them to explore at their own pace. Educators are trained to identify a child's strengths and cultivate an environment that allows for their 'physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and cultural development," according to Bezos Academy website. Early childhood is a critical window for developing the skills that students need when entering grade school. It's a period that can impact their future academic and social success. Arizona currently ranks 43rd in the U.S. among 4-year-olds enrolled in public preschool programs, according to the 2023 State of Preschool Yearbook from the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University. 'Kids come in with mixed curiosities, and so what the Montessori program allows them to do is meet them where they are and bring them where you kind of need to be to be kindergarten ready,' said Roger Brown, the head of the new school. Each classroom in Bezos Academy will have a teacher certified by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, which has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education since 1995. An assistant teacher with Montessori training will also be in every classroom, along with floating teachers. Bezos Academy already operates other locations across the country. The academy's program consists of seven-hour days, five days a week, with a minimum of three hours dedicated to learning using the six areas of the Montessori curriculum: practical life, sensorial, math, language, science and social studies. Breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack will be provided, and blocks of time will be allocated for nap time and outdoor activity, following traditional preschool programs. Bezos Academy will allow for more flexible schedules, such as adjusting outdoor activity for earlier in the day to accommodate the Arizona sun, or allowing students to continue learning if they want to forego nap time. While many preschools around the state, including Desert Garden, offer fully-funded early childhood programs for low-income and special needs children aged 3 to 5, Bezos Academy hopes to cast a wider net for children who might not be eligible for existing programs. 'Our program is actually designed to accommodate families that people call the working poor, who earn just a little bit more that they can no longer benefit from government-subsidized programs,' said Emmanuel Imah, the regional partnership development leader for Bezos Academy. The Bezos Academy classrooms that will open next school year will be in a remodeled building on Desert Garden Preschool property, but the school will operate independently. Desert Garden will monitor Bezos Academy's HVAC and security systems, and connect the new preschool to Glendale's Real Time Crime Center in case of lockdowns and emergencies. Each of the classrooms will have a capacity of 20 students. Bezos Academy plans to expand to six classrooms for a total capacity of 120 students. While Bezos Academy doesn't offer transportation, the program isn't exclusive to Glendale residents. Anyone within the eligibility requirements can apply. Any child who will be between 3 and 5 by the start date of the program, Sept. 1, and is from a household that falls below the income limit will be eligible to enroll. The deadline to apply for the 2025-26 school year is May 2, but families can still apply after the deadline for future school years. Prospective students will be chosen on a lottery system, but Bezos Academy does offer sibling preference for families with multiple eligible children. At the end of the two-year program, Bezos Academy supports families with their children's transition into kindergarten, partnering with Desert Garden and Glendale Elementary School District to continue students' educations. 'By the end of two years, we've learned a lot about them academically, emotionally, socially, and we're able to then help them transition to kindergarten successfully, regardless of where they're going,' said Brown. In addition to expanding at the Desert Garden location, Bezos Academy planned to open three schools in Mesa in the near future. Coverage of education solutions on and in The Arizona Republic is partially supported by a grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation's Arizona Community Collaborative Fund. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What to know about Bezos Academy, the preschool coming to Arizona
