Pre-K Advocates Feel Jitters, but Stay Hopeful

Published January 13th, 2011

I am personally a HUGE advocate of pre-K programs including Early Childhood Special Education. I was amazed to read in this article that 40 states have pre-K programs that receive state funding. Oregon has a couple great programs including Head Start, Early Intervention, and Early Childhood Education programs that my own children have attended. 

Unfortunately, due to the economy and recent recession, all areas of education are seeing their budgets cut drastically. The article noted 10 states have cut their pre-K programs for the 2011 fiscal year. It was interesting to note that politics plays a role in the way funding is allocated and varies depending upon whether legislators view early childhood education as an investment in the future, which will save money with less students struggling through school and more students becoming high school graduates and ultimately future tax payers. State legislators who view early education in this way tend to set aside and save money for these programs. Other states, such as Arizona, view retention of K-12 teachers as a more important investment. Early childhood programs were completely cut here.

Another factor to consider is the impact on families when pre-K programs are reduced. Child care expenses can have a financial impact on families that can also have a ripple effect on the local economy. It's really a fine line to balance between the impact on students and families verses funding educational programs. I'm very thankful I'm not the person in a position to make these difficult financial decisions.

The directors of the different early childhood programs my children attended always encouraged the parents to contact legislators and to attend special gatherings at the capitol building in Salem. It really does make a difference for the people in charge of making the financial decisions to see the faces and hear the stories of the children whose lives and futures they are making decisions about. It's much harder to cut a program when a cute little 3 year old is standing in front of you and the parents share their story. For me, these programs are the only reason my autistic son is now able to be in a mainstream kindergarten classroom. When he started in the early intervention program his teacher told me she was unsure he would ever be able to participate in a "traditional" classroom. These teachers worked miracles to give my son the opportunities he has now!

I will always advocate for funding of these programs and urge everyone I know to join me in this amazing cause!