Politicians and advocates alike have seized on research that says starting school young offers lasting dividends — as well as on the political expediency of promising a benefit to every voter. As they have, the meaning of “universal” preschool has become, well, not so universal.
Some supporters of Mayor de Blasio’s vision for creating new “community schools” expressed doubts about the program, which will include more extra instructional time and after-school programs for students.
Some districts, including Oakland and San Francisco Unified, are looking to after-school and summer programs as one way to introduce students to scientific and engineering concepts in a more relaxed and fun atmosphere that encourages experimentation.
Schools are trying to improve teaching of science, technology, engineering and math with the help of a federal grant.
A new study on Chicago’s child-parent centers found that children attending a full day of preschool do even better on a range of kindergarten readiness assessments than those who attend preschool for just part of the day.
As they continue to push state education officials to ask the federal government for a waiver to delay a new standardized test scheduled to be given next year, parent advocates announced Friday they also want the state legislature to pass a bill allowing parents to opt their child out of the exam.
A review of 30 studies on after-school and summer programs across the country found mixed results regarding their benefits on student academic performance.
Even though schools across California offer similar amounts of instructional time each week, and instructional days during the school year, students in high-poverty schools get far less time for actual learning, according to a new report.
As California school districts implement the Common Core State Standards in English and math, more of them are looking to after-school and summer programs to help acquaint both teachers and students with the new approach to learning.
The numbers are a victory for Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has made expanding full-day prekindergarten a signature initiative of his administration.