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This week

1. Did you know
2. Website of the Week
3. Under5s Download Centre
4. Date for your Diary
5. News
6. International News 
7. More Educational Sites
 
 

HAPPY EASTER, we hope that you enjoy the long weekend !
 

1. DID YOU KNOW

4Children's National Children's Stars Awards

Nominations are now open for the 2008 Children's Stars Awards

The Children's Stars Awards celebrate all the 'unsung heroes' working with children and young people - those dedicated and deserving people who are prepared to make the extra effort to make a difference. Once again, 4Children is looking to reward those individuals and teams whose commitment and excellence is an inspiration to us all.

Do you know, or are YOU, that extra special individual or team who show commitment, ethusiasm and excellence?

The Children's Stars Award categories this year are:

- NEW! Integrated Children's Team of the Year 
- Newcomer of the Year 
- Early Years Practitioner of the Year 
- Edexcel Playworker of the Year 
- Childminder of the Year 
- Make Space Youth Team of the Year 
- Morton Michel Childcare Team of the Year 
- TDA Extended School Team of the Year 
- Working Links Children's Centre Team of the Year 

To find out more, please download the nominations form with descriptions of each of the above categories. Forms can be sent back to the Freepost address given but must be with 4Children by 25 April 2008.

Nomination Form
http://www.4children.org.uk/information/show/ref/1161
 

OFSTED - HAVE YOUR SAY

Ofsted want to know what you think about their services. Let them know here...
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.455968b0530071c4828a0d8308c08a0c/
?vgnextoid=ceb8eb8381fa6110VgnVCM1000003507640aRCRD

2. WEBSITE OF THE WEEK

National Childminders Association (NCMA)

Have revamped and relaunched their website. Take a look here...

http://www.ncma.org.uk/
 

3. UNDER5S DOWNLOAD CENTRE

DON'T FORGET - you can find 24 different plans in the Download Centre and  all of our planning is available to download today. 

Don't miss the fantastic Let's Sign signing resources. 

Childminders - if you are struggling with Birth to Three, take a look at the Birth to Three Planning Guidance. 

http://cnb-host4.clickandbuild.com/cnb/shop/under5s?op=catalogue-categories-null

EARLY LEARNING FORUMS 

Join Us ! 

To discuss early years issues. To find support and advice on early years education. To relax and chat amongst friends. Come on in and have a look... 

http://www.earlylearningforums.co.uk 

4. DATE FOR YOUR DIARY

14 - 21 JUNE 2008

NATIONAL CHILDMINDING WEEK

Childminders across England and Wales will be celebrating their profession during National Childminding Week. As well as promoting the value of childminding services for families, they will share books and reading with the children in their care, joining in the National Year of Reading.
 

GOOD PROGRESS IN TEACHING PHONICS SO FAR SAYS EXPERT ROSE BUT BALLS VOWS TO DO MORE

Children are making better progress in schools as a result of the introduction of phonics as a method of teaching early reading and writing according to Jim Rose, the independent expert who wrote an influential report into the subject - but he also warned more work was needed to make this the case for all children.
 

This was the message from Sir Jim to Mr Balls in a letter giving an update on progress in phonics since it became the main method of teaching reading following the Rose Review in 2006. The update comes as Sir Jim is calling for evidence for his review into the primary curriculum.

Following the review all schools are now expected to teach phonics. But the challenge is to make sure all schools are consistently and systematically using high quality phonics. To help with this the Government is currently supporting all teachers through training and resources - including teachers currently in training and involving parents to encourage their children to read at home.

Sir Jim writes that: 

"If world class reading standards are to be achieved then world class teaching must be provided. The indications are that good progress has been made in raising the quality of teaching for beginner readers such that the leading edge work in our schools is excellent by any standard.

"Overall, the message is positive, and schools are reporting that many children are making faster progress in learning how to read and to spell than was previously the case. As a broad estimate, at least three-quarters of our primary schools are implementing phonic work as recommended by the review."

Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, said: 

"I'm delighted that Jim Rose says we have got at least three quarters of primary schools teaching phonics properly since we accepted the recommendations of the Rose Review of Teaching Early Reading in 2006. We have made very good progress but we now need to go the extra mile - I want every primary school to focus on using phonics properly when teaching our children to read.

"Over the next few months Jim Rose will continue to assess the progress being made in schools and I will publish his full report in the autumn. If we need to make any changes to the curriculum to aid the effective teaching of phonics in Rose's review of the Primary Curriculum we will do so. Every child in every school needs to be taught reading through phonics and I am impatient for all schools and early years' settings to meet the high standards of the best."

Jim Rose's comments come in a letter to Mr Balls on phonics, based mainly on a series of visits to schools during which he found children making faster progress in learning how to read, write and spell. However, he also found some variation in the quality of teaching and children's development. 

Ed Balls added:

"Systematic phonics teaching is crucial to raising standards and pupil confidence which will help children succeed in the rest of their school life. We are already doing a great deal to make sure all children have the best teaching to help them to read and write from an early age - but we need to press on. I hope that this year - which is also the National Year of Reading - will see schools move further forward with this agenda."

In order to make sure all children benefit from the teaching of phonics the Government is:

. Ensuring all new teachers who are in training at the moment apply the phonics "simple view of reading" in their teaching; 

. Supporting all existing teachers with programmes of training and guidance - through our Primary National Strategy and local authorities; 

. Making sure that teachers have the resources they need and so are able to learn from the best - such as free DVDs of good classroom practice;

. Putting the highest of expectations on Headteachers and Governing Bodies in implementing what we know works. Ofsted will report to us on full uptake; and

. Involving parents so they encourage their children to read at home, and helping schools to reach families who can most benefit from their support. 

Jim Rose recommends in his letter that:

. all early years settings and schools should be self-sustaining in teaching phonic knowledge and skills essential to reading and making sure children apply these skills to comprehend what they read;

. support for teachers, practitioners and teaching assistants should continue to focus on phonics in the context of a broad and language rich curriculum;

. initial teacher training should be kept under review to ensure trainee teachers are well prepared to teach reading effectively.

Sir Jim Rose will comment further on the standards and quality of teaching reading in his primary curriculum review interim report which will be published later this year. He has started work on the review of the primary curriculum and has issued a call for evidence for all those with an interest in primary education.

Ed Balls said:

"I have asked Jim Rose to carry out the most fundamental review of the primary curriculum in a decade. A strong primary curriculum which has flexibility to personalise teaching and learning is crucial to driving up pupil achievement." 

Jim Rose said:

"The central purpose of my review is to make the curriculum as good as it can be for all primary children. I am committed to making sure that the review benefits from an open process and takes serious account of the views of all stakeholders."

Ed Balls, Jim Rose and Andrew Adonis visited Argyle Primary School in Camden today (Friday 15th March) to see high quality phonic classes. 

2008 is the National Year of Reading - a year-long celebration of reading, in all its forms. It will help to build a greater national passion for reading - for children, families and adult learners alike. The Year will encourage people to read in businesses, homes, and communities around the country, providing new opportunities to read and helping people to access help and support through schools and libraries.
 

NDNA WELCOMES INCREASED FLEXIBILITY OF GRADUATE LEVEL LEADER FUND BUT SAYS EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES IS KEY TO SUCCESS
 

NDNA welcomes increased flexibility offered by graduate level leader fund 
 

National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) today welcomed the increased flexibility the new guidance for the Graduate Leader Fund offers but highlighted that it was important local authorities were flexible and responsive to the  needs of the PVI sector when allocating funds. 

Whilst welcoming the commitment the Government has made to provide funding up until 2015 and the allowance that the fund can be used to support vital areas such as salaries, NDNA said it was crucial that increased flexibility did not lead to locally determined conditions that made it difficult for providers to take up the support.

Purnima Tanuku, Chief Executive of NDNA comments: "We welcome this new guidance which gives a real focus on supporting the private, voluntary and independent sectors to employ a graduate by the 2015 deadline. Upskilling the workforce is key to improving quality and we are pleased the Government has recognised pay is an intrinsic issue when it comes to the employment of graduates in the PVI sector and made a commitment to long-term funding to support this. It is also good to see the guidance is not as restrictive as that of the Transformation Fund, with no cap on fees attached as a condition. The guidance should hopefully allow local authorities and providers to work together to create a solution to the graduate level leader challenge. However, whilst this new guidance will help reduce confusion by giving a specific focus on growing or employing a graduate, it is important that we do not forget the importance of improving qualifications at Level 2 and above, and equal promine!
 nce is given to the pots of funding available elsewhere for this." 

She continues: "In addition, whilst settings will welcome the increased flexibility the guidance offers in principle, it is important that this does not mean local authorities use funds to meet their own objectives. For example, the guidance says local authorities can decide where salary support is needed and what level of funding each setting such be provided with and set their own 'model of delivery'. It is critical that any action or conditions follows extensive consultation with providers and careful thought to ensure that use of funds does reflect the overall needs of the PVI sectors, which the funds are intended for and the guidance does highlight how local authorities must passport the money to these sectors. It is also important to ensure the principle of providers being free to use the funds as they wish is upheld."

Purnima adds: "Whilst the guidance does reflect one of the major barriers for the PVI sectors is pay, and the 2015 funding commitment does give some stability, NDNA believes that it will still remain a concern. Ultimately if this support was to end providers would have to raise fees or sacrifice sustainability to maintain salary levels. Settings already support the principle and understand the benefits that investing in their staff brings and the challenge will now be about ensuring that funds create solutions. Case studies showing how funding can address issues such as pay and retention will be a useful tool. Also, we must ensure local authorities receive support so that local barriers to take up are not created, such as a lengthy application process or stringent local conditions attached to the fund's use. It is also important that local authorities reassure nurseries that the funding will be there to complete their commitment to achieving qualifications. However, we do be!
 lieve this is a real improvement and look forward to seeing how this money can work in practice to support PVI nurseries in achieving the ambitious workforce reform vision and we would urge nurseries to contact their local authority to find out more about how this can support them. " 

NEW RESOURCE TO HELP CHANGE ATTITUDES TO SMACKING

'Sdim Curo Plant!/Children Are Unbeatable! are launching a new toolkit to help change attitudes to smacking.

The Help at Hand Toolkit is an online resource providing materials which can be used to:

Increase in the number of people who actively support a change to the law on smacking in the UK 

Decrease the incidence of physical punishment of children 

Decrease the percentage of the population who find the physical punishment of children acceptable

The Help at Hand Toolkit provides a comprehensive guide to looking at the issues surrounding the physical punishment of children.  It includes:

Resources - such as leaflets, parenting packs and websites that deal with issues of physical punishment.  Each resource is graded on a 5-point system, according to how useful it is on these issues. The website tells you how to access each resource. 

Activities - a series of activities that can be used in groupwork, presentations, and with individuals to consider physical punishment. 

Information sheets - brief digests of significant facts, figures and suggestions in the work of outlawing the physical punishment of children. 

Modules - suggestions about which materials are best to use for various groups, such as parents, children, young people, students, professionals and policymakers.

It seems there is no one, single reason why people change their mind about smacking and the toolkit is informed by a number of the most common reasons identified.  For example, some people realise that children have a right not to be hit, just as adults do, because children are people too. Many parents give up 'smacking' their child when they come to understand that hitting children is ineffective as a way of getting them to behave well.  This toolkit promises to be a valuable resource for anyone who wants to look at this issue in more detail in any context work or home. 

The toolkit can be accessed at www.helpathandtoolkit.info and www.pecyncymorthhelpwrthlaw.info  from the 13 March and will be updated to keep abreast of changes to the law, and to incorporate new material.  A "Help at Hand Handbook" has also been published as a hard copy companion to introduce the toolkit.  The toolkit and the handbook are both bilingual, English and Welsh.
 

EARLY INTERVENTION FOR BRIGHT FUTURE

Identifying vulnerable mums-to-be and supporting them through pregnancy and their child's early years will deliver better life chances for Scotland's young people, according to a radical new policy statement published today by the Scottish Government and COSLA.

Launching the Early Years policy statement on a visit to Greengables Family Centre in Edinburgh, First Minister Alex Salmond said that this new focus on stepping in early to break cycles of inequality, deprivation and ill-health will bring an end to the culture of crisis management and coping. It is a strategy designed to put young people at the heart of a changing Scotland.

The new approach will also see a focus on:

Helping young and vulnerable pregnant women plan for motherhood, identifying risks early, putting intensive support in place and promoting health messages
More integrated childcare services that are easier for parents and provide continuity of care for children

Promoting the strengthening of parenting capacity as a core function of health, education and social care services to build resilience among families

Promoting a change in social attitude towards young people and encouraging communities to foster positive opportunities for them

First Minister Alex Salmond said:

"We know that people are our greatest asset and we must foster opportunities for all if we are to reach our goal of creating a smarter, more successful Scotland. That is why the Scottish Government is committed to long-term investment in the development of this policy.

"Until now, social-ills in Scotland have held too many people back. Crime, poor health, and poverty mean that some of our children are unable to achieve their potential.

"It can be startling how early disadvantaged children fall behind their peers.

"But by giving support at the first opportunity, we can offer better chances for those at risk, reinforce families, promote maternal health, tackle drug and alcohol misuse and strengthen communities.

"This overarching approach marks a new era for Scotland, with central and local government working together to prevent early disadvantage hindering children throughout their lives."

Minister for Children and Early Years Adam Ingram added:

"This new focus could mean identifying young or vulnerable pregnant women and making sure they have access to a range of supports straight away, instilling positive health and lifestyle messages in young children and engaging better with families, especially those at risk.

"By building resilience in the early years and stopping inequalities being passed from one generation to the next we will help create a better quality of life for everyone in Scotland."

Councillor Isabel Hutton, COSLA's Spokesperson for Education, Children and Young People Spokesperson, said:

"There is a growing consensus that early intervention is the way forward for tackling Scotland's long standing social problems. We have been deliberately ambitious in our aspirations for the early years framework, as we believe that inequality in Scotland is such that we need to be bold.

"However, we are also realistic about what can be achieved, especially in the short term. Even though it is common sense to do everything possible to prevent problems before they occur, we can't simply stop dealing with the problems that are with us today.

"This is the challenge which, as partners, local and national Government have agreed to address in the long term. We are jointly committed to early intervention and the early years and I believe that together we can deliver real improvements to the lives of Scotland's children."

Dr Harry Burns, Scotland's Chief Medical Officer, said:

"Research is now clearly indicating with that children born and brought up in difficult and deprived circumstances are more likely to experience physical and mental health problems in later life.

"By supporting their parents and by providing a range of services which increase stability in their lives, children are more likely to perform better at school, become more resilient in their response to challenge and develop into healthy adults.

"This strategy is a new and radical approach to building capacity in the Scottish population. It offers a real prospect of narrowed health inequalities in the future and it will provide real opportunities for a better life for Scotland's children."

Detective Chief Superintendent John Carnochan, Head of the Violence Reduction Unit said:

"Research has shown that the first few years of a child's life are the most important. This is when they learn skills like empathy, compromise and negotiation from the people who look after them, skills that will help them negotiate life successfully.

"Intervention in the early years is crucial to helping everyone achieve that success and avoid life's pitfalls. That is why it forms a key part of our work in helping to prevent violence in the long term.

"We cannot expect the success of these interventions to be seen overnight. It may take years before we see the fruit such interventions can yield. But as a solution to some of Scotland's long standing social problems, intervention in the early years is the closest thing to magic."

A month-long consultation on the policy statement begins today. Contributions to the can be sent to EarlyYearsFramework@scotland.gsi.gov.uk. Further development work will be done with partners before the Early Years Framework is launched in the autumn.

The Early Years Framework was specifically identified for joint development in the Concordat the Scottish Government signed with COSLA on November 14, 2007.

The Scottish Government has already announced that every child in pre-school will have access to a teacher, delivered 475 hours of free nursery provision for three and four year olds, agreed with local authorities that nursery education will increase to 570 hours per annum by 2010 and delivered £9 million for an extra 300 teachers to support education in the early years.

The Scottish Government is moving to reduce class sizes in primaries one to three to 18, put more than 20,000 new teachers into training by 2011 and is funding pilots of free nutritious school meals for some of the country's youngest pupils.

The last annual report from Scotland's Chief Medical Officer highlighted how a child's early development impacts future life chances.

The Scottish Government's Ministerial Taskforce in Health Inequalities has identified support for families and children in the very early years as a key priority.

The Scottish Government recently announced an additional £32 million to improve access to specialist health services for children and young people and ensure care is better, quicker, safer and closer to home.

The Scottish Government recently announced £5 million to target health inequalities.
 
 

6. INTERNATIONAL NEWS

USA

NHSA WARNS THAT 14,000 HEAD START CHILD SLOT CUT PROPOSED BY BUSH ADMINISTRATION IS NEW WHITE HOUSE EFFORT TO "DISMANTLE" HEAD START  

After Head-On Assault Failed in 2003-2006, White House Shifts to "Slow Motion Erasure" Strategy; Proposed Elimination of 14,000 Children Served Follows FY 2008 Budget Cut Insisted On By White House.

Head Start officials from across the United States warned today that the Bush White House is once again trying to "dismantle" the Head Start program, after it was rebuffed during 2003-2006 in its controversial first attempt to do so. 

The early-childhood education experts pointed to a series of recent developments -- including a Fiscal Year 2009 budget from the White House that would cut 14,065 Head Start child slots -- making it the first enrollment reduction for Head Start to be included in the formal budget proposal of a U.S. President since the launch of Head Start in 1965.   Other elements of the White House's new "slow motion erasure" of Head Start include the addition of hundreds of new regulatory requirements for Head Start in the 2007 Head Start Reauthorization Act -- and President Bush's subsequent budget veto that forced the U.S. Congress to impose a more than $10 million Fiscal Year 2008 funding cut that now leaves Head Start programs without the money needed to satisfy the thicket of costly new Reauthorization Act rules.

NHSA is calculating that the 10 states that would experience the sharpest reductions under the President's proposed cuts in Head Start enrollment are: California (1,523 fewer slots), Texas (1,047), New York (756), Illinois (614), Ohio (587), Florida (549), Pennsylvania (548), Michigan (543), Mississippi (413), and Georgia (363).  In addition, Puerto Rico would lose 570 slots, the Migrant/Seasonal Worker program (556 slots) and the American Indian/Alaskan Native program (358 slots).

On February 4, 2008, NHSA warned that the President's proposed Fiscal Year 2009 budget for Head Start comes in $923 million short of covering the effective cut in the program since Fiscal Year (FY) 2002. NHSA has calculated that, if Head Start is going to be saved, the program needs a 'catch up' appropriation of at least an extra $472 million now in the FY 2008 supplemental appropriations bill and then an additional $360 million over and above the prior fiscal year's funding level for each fiscal year from 2009 to 2013.   

National Head Start Association Board Chairman Ron Herndon, also director of the Albina Head Start program (Portland, OR) said:  "Even as the United States slips into a recession that will only worsen the poverty experienced by millions of American children and their families, Head Start is going to be forced to turn away more and more eligible children.  What we are looking at here is a deliberate and long-term effort by the Bush Administration to slowly dismantle the Head Start program in nearly the same way they tried to do starting in 2003.   This new attack is even more insidious because they are slowly forcing Head Start programs to reduce days of service, hours of operation, teachers, transportation and health insurance.   Instead of simply killing Head Start outright, the Administration is slowly bleeding it to death in a long, painful process."
 
Minnesota Head Start Association Executive Director Gayle Kelly said:  "In this heavily rural state, transportation is a major issue of concern with our programs. Providing transportation is really necessary for Head Start programs to properly serve their communities but with the cost of gas steadily increasing, programs are really struggling.  Many programs are saying they won't be able to continue to provide transportation next year but decreases in transportation affect enrollment and attendance.  It's a vicious cycle.  I would like to tell our lawmakers both in the state and on the federal level to 'fund your priorities'.  We have four-year-olds on our waiting list and if they don't get served, they will enter kindergarten next year unprepared.  That will mean unhelpful long-term consequences for those children and for the future of our country."  

Holyoke-Chicopee-Springfield Head Start Executive Director Janis Santos said: "In my 35 years working in the Head Start community, this is one of the direst funding situations I have seen, if not the worst ever.  The hardest thing for any program to do is have to request a reduction in enrollment.  We are at the breaking point today and have to count every penny and analyze every expense with painstaking detail.  The mandates in the reauthorization bill last year look to raise the bar for the program, as most reauthorizations bill have in the past, but failing to fund these mandates has put additional strain on grantees already stretched to the breaking point.  We have 500 children on the wait list for our programs.  Now, we are being asked under the new bill to serve the extremely needy community of homeless, but we aren't even funded enough to serve the children already looking to our program for their education needs.  We want to help all the kids who need it but can't wi!
 thout the necessary funds to do the job."

Hundreds of Head Start programs across the United States had no choice in 2006 and 2007 but to scale back days and hours of operations, bus service, support staff, and other critical services and manpower. Many Head Start programs have even had to eliminate health insurance coverage for their teachers and staff. With cash-strapped Head Start programs already having slashed operations to the bone (and beyond in some cases), the FY 2008 funding cut means that Head Start programs will have experienced a real decline in federal support of 11 percent since FY 2002 (inflation-adjusted).  If federal support for Head Start had kept pace with inflation over this period, it would have risen from $6.54 billion in FY 2002 to $7.77 billion in FY 2008.

STATE-FUNDED PRESCHOOL ENROLLMENT PASSES ONE MILLION MARK, YET MOST 3- AND 4-YEAR-OLDS ARE DENIED ACCESS TO PUBLIC PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS 

Survey Shows 12 States Offer No Programs, Others Falter; Gains are Threatened by Possible Recession.

State-funded preschools served over one million children last year, yet public pre-K was unavailable for most 3- and 4-year-olds, according to the annual survey released today by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER).

Funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, The State of Preschool 2007 ranks all 50 states on the percentage of children served and spending per child. It also compares the number of quality benchmarks each state meets for the 2006-2007 school year. The survey found that enrollment, quality and state spending per child increased.

Yet, 12 states offered no state-funded preschool education and others faltered in their commitment to the quality of their early education programs. The report showed that nationally less than half of all 4-year-olds were enrolled in government-supported preschool education programs and one quarter received no preschool. For 3-year-olds the situation was worse, with only 15 percent enrolled in public programs and 50 percent receiving no early education.

Children from wealthy families can attend expensive private preschools while the federal Head Start program and most state-funded preschool education is targeted at lower income families.

"The children left out are disproportionately from middle-income families that can't afford private schools," said W. Steven Barnett, director of NIEER, a unit of Rutgers University. "Failing to provide high-quality early education opportunities for these children compromises their ability to succeed in school and in life and has grave consequences for our society and our econom," Barnett said.

"States must decide whether education of young children will continue to be a welfare program for the poor or an essential investment in all Americans," Barnett said.

Sara Watson, senior officer for The Pew Charitable Trusts, said, "Pre-k can save money both immediately, in terms of special education placement and grade retention, and over the long term, since many of the traits and skills that make adults good employees, good neighbors and good citizens start in the earliest years." 

Research shows that high-quality preschool education for disadvantaged children improves later high school graduation rates and college attendance, employment opportunities and earnings, even marriage rates. It lessens future crime, delinquency and teenage pregnancy. In economic terms, high-quality preschool education returns to the individual and the public up to $17 for each $1 invested. New studies find educational benefits for middle-income children as well.

"The nation made progress this year, but when you dig deep into the data, the picture is not so rosy," Barnett said. "It is most grim in the states - Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming - with no state-funded programs. But serious problems also exist in four states - California, Texas, Florida, and Ohio - that are home to one-third of all American preschoolers."

California, Texas, Florida, and Ohio are among only seven states that meet less than half of NIEER's quality benchmarks. All four spend less than the national average per child. Texas and California do not limit class size. Ohio, Florida and California do not require preschool teachers to have education comparable to public school teachers. Ohio serves not even 5,000 of its nearly 150,000 4-year-olds.

On a more positive note, the yearbook reported that in 2006-2007:

. Average state spending per child was $3,642, halting a trend of declining per-child commitments that had persisted since at least the 2002-2003 school year.

. More than one million 3- and 4-year-old children attended state-funded preschool education programs. 

. Thirty states increased enrollment. Nationally, enrollment was up by 80,000.

. Eight states met higher quality standards. Yet, some states still require preschool education teachers to have little more than a high school diploma.

. Of the 26 states that served 3-year-olds, enrollment increased in all but five states. Overall enrollment of 3-year-olds was up 10 percent, mostly due to increases in Illinois, which became the first state to commit to serving all 3-year-olds. 

Barnett hailed the increase in per-child funding as the end of "a troubling trend." However, he expressed serious concern that ""n the tough budget year ahead there will be more pressure to reduce enrollments and inadequately fund state preschool education."

"Many economically-advanced countries provide free preschool for all children," said Watson. "But in the U.S., most preschoolers are not guaranteed any education at all, much less a high quality education. If the United States is to remain competitive in a global economy, we cannot lose a single child. We must invest in preschool education that will help put every child on the right track to succeed."

Barnett said taxpayers and children's champions should ensure that investments in early education have priority over less productive spending that promises taxpayers no long-term benefits.

Pre-K funding could be attached to state funding formulas for K-12 education to ensure that funds increase proportionally with enrollment as it expands and that funding per child is more dependable, Barnett said. He also said the federal government could play a vital role by providing an inducement to states to expand enrollment, particularly at age 3, by offering matching funds.

The 2007 Yearbook pointed out that one-quarter of all 4-year-olds and half of all 3s had no access to preschool education. State and federal regular preschool education, special education and Head Start combined served 39 percent of the country's 4-year-olds, and some attend private programs, leaving one-quarter of 4-year-olds with no preschool program at all. At age 3, state and federal programs combined to serve only 15 percent. Even with some others attending private programs, 50 percent of 3-year-olds had no access to a preschool education.

Other key findings in the yearbook include:

Access:

. Enrollment increases in most states tended to be modest, but some states made large gains. Enrollment increased by 52 percent in Tennessee, 33 percent in Pennsylvania, and 17 percent in Illinois, Florida, and New York.

. State pre-K programs served 22 percent of 4-year-olds and 3 percent of 3-year-olds nationwide.

. Three states with "Pre-K for All" served more than half of their 4-year-olds: Oklahoma (68 percent), Florida (58 percent), and Georgia (53 percent). When Head Start and preschool special education enrollments are taken into account, Oklahoma served 90 percent of all 4-year-olds; Florida, 71 percent; and Georgia, 65 percent.

Quality:

. North Carolina and Alabama once again met all 10 of the NIEER quality standard benchmarks. Eight additional states--Arkansas, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington--had a state-funded pre-K initiative meeting nine of the 10 benchmarks. 

. Of the 38 states with preschool education programs, Kansas met the fewest benchmarks, three. Arizona, California, Florida, Maine, Ohio, and Texas met only four.

. Fewer than half the 38 pre-K states required all lead teachers in their programs to hold a bachelor's degree. Eight states did not require any state preschool teachers to have bachelor's degrees -- Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Minnesota, Ohio, and Washington.

Resources:

. The average state spending per child enrolled was $3,642. Compared to the previous year, this is an increase of $175 per child before adjusting for inflation (and an increase of $32 after adjusting for inflation).

. Of the 38 states with preschool education programs, state pre-K spending ranged from just over $3 million in Nevada, a state with about 72,000 3- and 4-year-olds, to $533 million in Texas, which has about 758,000 3- and 4-year-olds.

. States still spent much less per child on pre-K than on K-12.

. States continued to vary greatly in their per-child spending. New Jersey was the top ranked state, spending $10,494 per child. Twelve states continued to spend nothing on state pre-K.

The State of Preschool 2007 is available at www.nieer.org/yearbook
 

7. MORE EDUCATIONAL SITES 

For more educational sites visit 

Sites for Teachers 

http://www.sitesforteachers.com/perl/rankem.pcgi?id=under5s
 

Kind regards 
 

The Under5s Team 
Http://www.under5s.co.uk