Jindal targets pre-k programs
Gov. Bobby Jindal wants to revamp Louisiana’s pre-kindergarten programs, which critics say have become an expensive, confusing array of classes with uneven quality.
“We have thousands of children who come to kindergarten that are not kindergarten ready,” said West Baton Rouge Parish Superintendent David Corona, who has been part of a statewide study of the issue.
Jindal’s plan is part of his 2012 education package, which lawmakers will begin debating on March 12.
However, his early childhood initiatives have gotten little attention, mostly because other parts of the package are more controversial.
The governor wants to:
- Set up an improved accountability system for early childhood programs.
- Assign letter grades to the programs based mostly on kindergarten readiness.
- End state funding and pull licenses for low-performing schools that get public dollars.
Jindal, who unveiled his plan last month, said only 52 percent of children enter kindergarten ready to learn.
The comments echo criticism leveled in August, when a report by the state Department of Education criticized standards, costs and successes in the state’s wide array of programs.
Most everyone agrees that pre-kindergarten classes give children a boost academically and socially.
Louisiana has about 65,000 4-year-olds.
About 45,000 are enrolled in pre-kindergarten classes, mostly from low-income families.
But seven such state and federal programs are in operation, spending from $1,301 to $9,625 per child, according to state figures.
Spending totals $346 million per year. Eligibility varies from program to program, mostly based on family income.
Three such efforts are overseen by the state Department of Education, including LA4, which is the largest with nearly 16,000 students.
Two others are overseen by the state Department of Children and Family Services, including Head Start.
One is overseen by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and one by the governor’s office.
“Further, these funding streams are disjointed and misaligned, both to one another and to standards that promote kindergarten readiness,” Jindal said last month.
Oversight also varies.
Independent contractors or officials of the state Department of Education visit LA4 classes periodically. New teachers are evaluated and the state checks to make sure they are following state and federal guidelines.
Head Start programs are reviewed every three years. One of the programs overseen by the state Department of Children and Family Services undergoes an annual compliance inspection, according to the state Department of Education.
“We have an accountability system, but it is fragmented and it doesn’t relate to students,” said state Superintendent of Education John White.
White said it makes no sense for parents to send children to pre-kindergarten classes without knowing whether they prepare them for kindergarten.
Under Jindal’s plan, a recent law designed to set up a uniform system for judging kindergarten readiness would be one of the key elements in assigning grades to programs, and help parents to make choices.
Cindy Bishop, executive director of the Child Care Association of Louisiana, said it is “critically important” that the state uses a solid assessment tool in rating pre-school classes.
“It needs to be credible, valid evidence,” said Bishop, whose group has about 300 members.
Stephanie Desselle, the senior education policy official for the Council for A Better Louisiana, praised the governor’s proposals as a way of setting early childhood standards and helping parents select classes.
“Somebody has to be in charge of saying this is a good program,” said Desselle.