Editorial: Enhance Child Development

As Jennifer Radcliffe’s article (“New KIPP campuses have younger focus,” Page B2, Tuesday), demonstrates, both parents and school administrators are putting a premium on a quality early school experience for children. No wonder. Children with access to high-quality preschool education are better prepared for reading and math and are less likely to drop out later. The benefits are particularly noticeable in children at risk. When the typical half-day program, currently available to about 50 percent of children age four across the state, is expanded to a full school day with maximum size limits for classes, an appropriate teacher-student ratio and other quality supports, the payoff is enhanced child development, academic preparedness and sustained school success. Collaborative for Children is one of more than 250 organizations in the Texas Early Childhood Coalition to support legislation that would expand pre-K programs to a full day and establish a 1:11 teacher-student ratio and a maximum class size of 22. Now that we understand the importance of brain development in children under five, it’s time to offer all at-risk Texas children a better chance for school success.

Carol Shattuck, Collaborative for Children, Houston

Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
April 1, 2009