Is Zero to Five Possible?
Pre-Kindergarten Research BlogArchive for March 12, 2009
1) Virginia’s Fight on Crime
Virginia’s Investment in Crime (Fightcrime.org,1993)
Summary: This photograph illustrates the crime rates between preschool children and non-preschool children.
Topic: zero to five
Category: Non-Profit Institutional Still Image
What is it? online graph
Publication Information: (Fightcrime.org,1993)
Author: Unkown
Location: http://www.fightcrime.org/reports/VABirthto5report.pdf
Accessed:
February 28, 2009
Support:
None
Audience and Agenda: This is an institutional document that reaches American citizens, education insiders and policymakers. The funding for the document comes from numerous locations, including private donors and businesses.
Usefulness: This source is useful because it shows the enthusiasm that Obama has for the education efforts. The drive Obama has to improve education in this source is consistent throughout Obama’s campaign, as shown in his campaign plan and his recent address to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
5) Preschool for Everyone*
Preschool for Everyone (TIME, Nov. 09, 1998)
Summary:
Middle class parents lack funds to send their children to beneficial, quality preschool; therefore, the state governments stepped up to work toward increasing funding for preschool. This story as reported in TIME magazine focuses on both past policies and future plans for public preschool.
Topic: zero to five
Category: Mainstream Journalistic
What is it? A magazine article from the web version of TIME
Publication Information: TIME Magazine, Nov. 09, 1998
Published online; TIME is based in New York, NY
Author: Jodie Morse
Contributing Reporters: Leslie Everton Brice and Greg Fulton/Atlanta
Location:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,989515,00.html
Accessed: 03/1/2009
Support:
John and Janine Morreale, parents of young children in Brooklyn; stakeholders
Zell Miller, Georgia Governor
Richard Riley, Education Secretary
Sandra Feldman, president of the American Federation of Teachers
Christine Todd Whitman, New Jersey governor
Neal Opromalla, Brooklyn principal
Patrick Fagen FitzGerald, fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation
J.D. La Rock, spokesman for New York City’s board of education
These sources a young represent middle class parents who struggle to afford preschool, politicians who are trying to increase funding for preschool, and education professionals who support funding universal preschool.
Audience and Agenda:
Time magazine, first published in 1923, reaches millions of American consumers and claims to “shape conversations and illuminate the common ground.” The article aims to reach as many Americans as possible and encourage them to discuss and debate the possibilities of a publicly funded preschool. It also informs the public of the current efforts in the universal preschool movement.
Usefulness:
This article informed the public about the universal preschool movement which, in 1998, received little media attention. Universal preschool has become an increasingly popular idea. Currently, only preschool for the very poor is funded. The ambitious 1998 plan, which New York pledged to it’s people, to have universal preschool in New York by 2003 still fails to be in place. Currently New York has succeeded in spreading universal preschool to 452 districts have universal preschool; however, in a youtube video with David Kirp, he pointed out that as the amount of students in preschool increases, the quality of the preschool decreases. This is also illustrated by a graph published in the New York Times entitled “More Children, Less Money.” A report published by pre[k]now also advocates universal preschool for the middle class as evidenced in the news release “The Pre-K Pinch: Early Education and the middle class,” published in 2008, ten years after the 1998 TIME article which drove conversation into action. The promised universal preschool in New York still is underway and currently intends to fund preschool for all by 2009, an unknown fact at the time of the article.
Works cited:
http://wadsworth.com/english_d/templates/student_resources/0759398313_sundance/m-r/morse.html
http://www.time.com/time/mediakit/1/us/timemagazine/index.html
4) Tackling the achievement gap*
Tackling the achievement gap (Omaha World-Herald, March 9, 2009)
Summary: Working to make universal preschool a reality in their state, Nebraskan lawmakers believe that due to the economy it will take them 15 to 20 years to have an effective program in place. This local newspaper focused on their specific state’s lack of funding for universal preschool that would not be an issue preschools received federal funding.
Topic: zero to five
Category: Mainstream Journalistic
What is it? An article from the web version of the Omaha World-Herald
Publication Information: Omaha World-Herald, March 9, 2009
Author: Saunders, Michaela
Location: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10582013
Accessed: March 9, 2009
Support:
Daniel Pederson, president of the Buffett Early Childhood Fund
Jessie Rasmussen, representative on the state’s early childhood endowment board and vice president of the Buffett Early Childhood Fund
Building Bright Futures, philanthropic group
Larry Habrock, teacher at Wildewood Elementary
Janell Shain, Wildewood’s principal
These sources represent citizens working to fund early childhood education in Nebraska as well as school officials developing a workable, quality early childhood program for their schools on a limited budget.
Audience and Agenda: Omaha.com, the web version of the Omaha World-Herald reaches 429,000 viewers monthly. The World-Herald was founded in 1885 and continues its tradition as a locally owned community newspaper with goals to provide information that will inspire people to be involved in the community. Since its founding date, the paper has changed hands within the community, and in recent years, the publication was willed to its employees. The audience serves all of Nebraska and is the most subscribed to newspaper in southeastern Iowa.
Usefulness:
This source shows how state’s have inadequate funding for preschools and shows a desire for universal preschool in Nebraska. The article states, similarly to the report released by Pre[k]now, “The Pre-K Pinch: Early Education and the Middle Class,” that there is enough funding children who are well below the poverty level, but no funding for the middle class who cannot afford preschool. Traditionally, when states can’t satisfy their needs, it is the federal governments responsibility to heed and act on on those needs. In this case, that would mean funding universal preschool instead of leaving it up to philanthropic institutions such as Building Bright Futures. The article doesn’t assert any facts or statistics relating to universal preschool, but it is assumed by the author that we know that universal preschool benefits children.
Works cited:
4) David Kirp Interview
Authors@google: David Kirp (google)
Topic: zero to five
Category: Expert Citizen
Location: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v9rQs9KvxE
Host: authors@google; unnamed
Publication Information: authors@google via youtube.com,
Support:
Various unspecified studies referred to from The Sandbox Investment
The support in this book is from academic research proving pre-k as valuable and how it was attempted in California.
Audience and Agenda: This video has been viewed 2,926 times through youtube.com and intends to reach readers of David Kirp’s book, The Sandbox Investment. Youtube.com is funded by advertisements, and anyone can post any video on it with no charge.
Usefulness: This interview is an excellent supplement to The Sandbox Investment because it clarifies questions left after the book. It paints a clear picture of David Kirp’s research and motivation. Kirp discusses why preschool had never been advocated. Kirp brings up the point that children don’t get funding because they lack intelligent advocates. Because kids don’t vote, they tend to get brushed to the side, but that is beginning to change. Kirp argues that politicians tend make decisions that will yield quick results, and it will take 15 to 20 years before we see results.
Works Cited:
3) A Focus on Toddlers
A Focus on Toddlers (New York Times, n.d)
This slideshow is accompanied by photographs, shows the costs of a high quality preschool program for low-income students in Chicago and includes highlights of Obama’s plan to fund education.
Topic: zero to five
Category: Mainstream Journalistic
What is it? A slideshow published on www.nytimes.com.
Publication Information: New York Times, n.d.
Photographer: Amanda Rivkin
Location: http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/12/17/education/1217-EARLYED_index.html
Accessed: 3/12/09
Support:
Vermail Price
Angel Dickerson
9 photographs
The support in this multimedia piece includes Vermail Price, teacher, Angel Dickerson, student who are both participants in the educare program, and photographs illustrating the services provided by the program including breakfast, lunch, and an 8 to 3 student to teacher ratio.
Audience and Agenda: The New York Times online targets an adult audience of internet users.
Usefulness: This article is useful because it illustrates a high quality program that is currently in place. It gives a reference point for readers who are not sure what a high quality pre-school entails. Text effectively accompanies the illustrations indicating the low student to teacher ratio,the 2 meals provided each day, and the outrageous $18,000 cost per year per student. It supports the article “Obama Wisely Makes Education a Priority,” by showing Arne Duncan‘s work and showing the ideas that he plans to use on a Federal level. It also emphasizes quality preschool identified in the book Reinventing Early Childhood Care and Education.
Works Cited:
http://www.quantcast.com/nytimes.com
http://www.nytimes.whsites.net/mediakit/online/audience/index.php
2) Say yes, now!
Summary: The video shows children learning and developing in preschool while an audio voiceover discusses how birth to age five are the most important years for learning. The children need high quality preschool to develop important social skills that children need in their adult life to obtain a job.
Topic: zero to five
Category: Business institutional
Location: http://www.edpro.com/advocacy/advocacy.shtml
Support:
Unnamed studies
Preschool teachers
The support included in this video represents unnamed studies that claim preschool is important for children in their adult life, teachers agreeing that preschool is important for development and teachers illustrating how they foster that development.
Audience and Agenda: The video is intended to be a resource and tool for advocates to use to persuade others to support the universal preschool movement. It is available for all to see and viewers are encouraged to share. The edpro.com, funded by proceeds from video sales, has been making educational advocacy videos since 1982. The number of viewers of this site is unknown.
Usefulness: This source is useful to familiarize people with the preschool program. It overviews benefits of preschool and shows actual teachers working and advocating for preschool. The interviews with the teachers make the argument relatable instead of just facts that will be forgotten. Also brought up in the video is the need for high quality preschool which supports the statements made in the book Reinventing Early Childhood Education and Care. The speakers in the video also discuss the importance of developing social skills in order to become contributing successful members of the workforce. This statement is supported by findings in the Perry Preschool Study mentioned in the Youtube video interview with David Kirp and his book The Sandbox Investment. The video is available for use in presentations.
Works Cited:
5) Interview: Stakeholder, Marcia Watts
Interview with Marcia Watts, young parent.
Summary: Young single mother, Marcia Watts is unable to send her daughter to an unaffordable preschool program; daycare is nearly too much.
Publication Information: unpublished
Support:
Marcia Watts, single mother
Zachary Watts, 2 year-old
Marcia Watts, a mother struggling to make ends meet and is unable to afford preschool for her son, Zachary.
Audience and Agenda: None
Usefulness: This source is useful because it supports arguments made by pre[k]now and allowed me to discuss the issue with an affected person.
Works Cited:
na
4) Interview with James Connolly
Interview with James Connolly,
University of Oregon graduate student, James Connolly, believes that quality preschool education is important, but creating an entirely universal program takes power away from parents.
Topic: zero to five
Category: Commentator, Citizen
What is it? Interview with education graduate student
Publication Information: Not Published
Location: Eugene, OR
Support:
David Kirp, author of The Sandbox Investment, Professor UC Berkeley
Barack Obama, President
James Connolly, graduate student
These sources represent a respected professional educator who is working with President Barack Obama to implement a zero to five education plan, and an informed citizen commenting on Obama’s plan.
Audience and Agenda: NONE
Usefulness: This will be useful because the source is unbiased, yet informed about the issue of early education. He believes that universally funding preschool would be beneficial, but it should always be optional. Children need to stay with their parents. If the government required preschool, they would be overstepping their boundaries. Courts could mandate it in extreme situations. This statement is contradicted by the report “Early Childhood Programs in Other Nations: Goals and Outcomes,” which concluded from 15 international studies that maternal employment and out-of-home child care does not affect the child as long as the program is quality. Connolly commented on The Sandbox Investment, which he believes provides an excellent argument for funding prekindergarten. Although it doesn’t affect him because he is childless, someday in the future he may have to send his children to a publicly funded preschool. Additionally, with the economy in a steady downfall, investing in a long term program seems like a good plan.
Works Cited:
NA
3) Topics in Early Childhood Education: Money for Early Childhood
Topics in Early Childhood Education (Blogspot.com, March 11, 2009)
John Funk states that the stimulus package promised for early childhood will be beneficial, but the program must be quality otherwise it can be detrimental to the attendees.
Topic: zero to five
Category: expert citizen
Publication information: Blogspot.com, March 11, 2009
Author: John Funk
Location: http://eceducation.blogspot.com/
Accessed: March 11, 2009
Support:
John Funk
John Funk relays his expert thoughts on head start to engage his blog readers.
Audience and Agenda:
John Funk’s blog focuses on issues with Early Childhood Education, but also includes personal experiences. Readers include a small audience of educators and stakeholders. He is an expert citizen who has been working in the early childhood field since 1979 working as a preschool and early elementary school teacher and was previously an early childhood care specialist. The exact number of hits on his blog is unknown.
Usefulness:
This article will be useful to support the argument that quality preschool is necessary to provide long-term benefits. Expert citizens David Kirp and Larry Schweinhart agree that quality is necessary. John Funk and Larry Schweinhart both noted that head start and early head start programs need funding, but funds need to be effectively allocated to support a lasting quality preschool program. The book Reinventing Early Care and Education also supports his claims.
Works Cited:
http://eceducation.blogspot.com/
1) Taking on Education
Taking on Education (Whitehouse.gov, March 10, 2009)
Summary: President Barack Obama declared that we have not done enough for education despite being world leaders and that he plans to invest billions of dollars in education focusing on early childhood education.
Topic: zero to five
Category: Institutional, government multimedia blog
What is it? This is a video President Barack Obama addressing the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Publication Information: whitehouse.gov/blog, March 10, 2009
Author: unknown; released from the office of the press secretary
Location: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/03/10/Taking-on-Education/
Accessed: March 10, 2009
Support:
President Barack Obama
Abraham Lincoln, former U.S. President
Linda Brown, civil rights activist
Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education
The sources identified represent a former president who completed a monumental task, building the continental railroad, during a time of crisis, the Civil War, a Civil Rights activist who preserved the “American Dream,” in times of crisis, and Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education, who plans to help Obama keep the “American Dream” alive once more.
Audience and Agenda:
The audience this is intended to reach is the American people. The video needs to reach as many people as possible to inform the public of the new administrations plans. It was released by whitehouse.gov and showed Obama in a positive light.
Usefulness:
This source is useful to tie together the research done and show how it is going to be put into action. It also refutes the point that we are overspending by showing the debt he, as president, inherited was already trillions of dollars and that we need to spend to boost our economy. We need to plan long term, which, according to the interview with David Kirp, that is not traditionally what politicians do. His ideas are aligned with those of the video “Say Yes, Now!” He expands the idea of preschool helping children prepare for future careers by stating that with preschool, more students will be in college. Four out of 10 new jobs being created will require higher education, and we need to prepare our children for this. However, the broadcast “Examining Obama’s Education Numbers” contradicts Obama’s claims that the high school dropout rate tripled in the past thirty years although it only lowered five percent. In which case, it is possible that Obama’s statistics are exaggerated in order to inspire Americans.
Works cited:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/03/10/Taking-on-Education/
