By AMBROSIA SARABIA, Imperial Valley Press - Staff Writer
Thursday, November 17, 2005 3:12 PM PST

Child care providers throughout the county attended an informational meeting at the Imperial County Office of Education on Wednesday night regarding the new California initiative “Preschool for All.”

The new initiative, which will be on a 2006 ballot, pushes for a free, part-day voluntary “Preschool for All” California children in the year prior to kindergarten. If the initiative is passed, child care providers will have to meet certain standards to run a preschool program.

Supporters of the act are pushing for students to have an equal opportunity to attend preschool as those in other states such as Georgia, Oklahoma and New Jersey, states that already have implemented similar acts. Supporters also think 4-year-olds need to receive skills prior to kindergarten, as a child’s pathway of learning is strongest from birth to age 5.

Following those beliefs, the act will ensure all children have the opportunity to gain pre-kindergarten knowledge free of charge as the program will be funded by an increase in taxes. A 1.7 percent tax will be implemented on married couples who bring in an income of $800,000 and single households who bring in $400,000.

A video, “Preschool for All: Kids Can’t Wait to Learn,” explained how the initiative would work and the tax that would be imposed: Every $1 spent on preschool for 4-year-olds yields $2.62 in economic benefits as there will be fewer students held back in school, an increase in high school graduates, a decrease in costs spent in the juvenile justice system and an increase in parents in the work force.

The economic benefits are not all the act includes as the initiative will focus on decreasing the low enrollment of low-income children and disparities among population groups. The free education will help those unable to enroll children in preschool due to high prices.

“It’s really changing the standards for preschool education and requirements for teachers,” Sue Tally, director of child development services for ICOE, said.

Much of the audience was eager to lean of the changing qualifications under the act.

The new initiative mandates that by 2014 preschool teachers and assistants will have to have obtained a bachelor’s degree and 24 units in early childhood education, while aides will need 48 college-level units and 24 units in early childhood education. By 2016, teachers will need to have a bachelor’s degree and an “early learning childhood credential,” which will be created by the state.

With these new requirements, Imperial Valley College is offering classes during winter intercession to ensure the Valley is ready if the initiative does pass.

Becky Green, director of child, family and consumer sciences at IVC, has been working on setting up classes to train those who will be teaching the classes and working with universities to help preschool providers obtain their bachelor’s degrees.

“Many thought they just needed to get an Associate of Science degree, but they need the requirements needed for transfer and we’re trying to prep them for that,” Green said.

The presenters, Green, Lori Riggs, ICOE coordinator for early care and ICOE’s education planning council, and Heather Vessey-Garcia, resource and referral manager for ICOE child development services, has been leading the act’s implementation as they have attended numerous meetings in the past two years and are working to prepare the Valley for the act’s implementation.

Aside from the changes teachers and assistants will have to adjust to, the other specifics such as curriculum, how the act will impact the Valley and how facilities would be impacted is still up in the air.

“We are having ongoing discussions regarding this and what we need to do as a county to be prepared,” Anne Mallory, associate superintendent of ICOE, said. “It is anticipated that it will pass, and if it passes in June, we will have six months to submit a plan to the state of California superintendent of public instruction.”

The ICOE is informing future preschool teachers and assistants about vital information as well as meeting to discuss the initiative’s future and impact.

“It is important that educators know how to work with 4-year-old children,” Green said.

Riggs added, “We all really believe 4-year-olds deserve that chance.”

Staff Writer Ambrosia Sarabia can be reached at 337-3452 or asarabia@ivpressonline.com

Printed courtesy of Imperial Valley Press, El Centro, CA