Three reasons universal preschool is valuable (written by Deborah Stipek)

An education expert and Parents advisor explains how the president's goal to bring universal pre-K to every state can benefit children.

If you followed President Obama's last State of the Union address, you know about his proposed plans for universal preschool, which could help bridge the educational gap for young kids of different backgrounds. About two out of three 4-year-olds and two out of five 3-year-olds currently attend preschool, and the numbers are rising. The growth in preschool participation has been fueled primarily by three factors: Research has revealed important brain development occurs in the early years of life; there is compelling evidence that preschool has long-term benefits for children, and preschool helps prepare children for the increased demands of kindergarten. Children from low-income families are less likely to attend preschool than kids from middle- and upper-income families, however, and this widens the achievement gap in kindergarten.

To improve access to pre-K, President Obama's plans include offering federal funds to every state to create free, high-quality programs. Many cities and states are getting behind the president's initiative — New York City mayor Bill de Blasio has made universal pre-K a centerpiece of his new administration, for example, and San Antonio and New Jersey state have substantially expanded access to publicly funded early-childhood education programs. Because funding for universal pre-K will come from taxpayers, will the money and effort spent on the programs be worth it? So far, the bulk of the research indicates that preschool (particularly high-quality preschool) does provide extra educational value to kids.

To continue reading, please visit the full story on Parents website

Deborah Stipek is the I. James Quillen Dean of the Stanford Graduate School of Education.

Watch a recent video interview of Dean Deborah Stipek.