A Dicey Future for Pre-K Kids

It’s no surprise that children who attend high-quality preschools enter kindergarten with stronger reading and writing skills. Perhaps more intriguingly, reformers assert that these studious 3- to 4-year-olds are less likely to become high school dropouts or face unemployment and incarceration. Whereas past dropout-prevention efforts have focused on at-risk teens, studies now suggest that offering preschoolers small class sizes, frequent parent conferences and effective teachers is the best approach to ensuring student achievement down the road.

Unfortunately, the majority of middle- and low-income families can’t afford to enroll their children in the best and priciest programs; currently, only about a third of Maryland’s 4-year-olds attend “high-quality kindergarten” schools, which can cost anywhere from $300 to $500 a month. And the other 66%? Well, you can forget about Harvard, kid.

Of course, the guys at North Ave. know that early childhood education is important — they just don’t know how to fund expanded access to high-quality ECE programs. The newest proposition is to legalize table games at Maryland’s slot sites, and use the gambling revenue to fund free, full-day pre-K for low-income families.

But is gambling revenue stable enough to support public education? Some argue that Maryland’s transition from slot machines to full-on casinos is inevitable, but others are more skeptical, stating that we should examine the real “efficacy of our current gambling program” before making any major expansions. Either way, it’s hard to oppose any bill that promises students more equitable access to a better education.