On June 6th, California voters have an opportunity to make history by passing the Preschool for All Initiative, Proposition 82, which will benefit all children and families in California by providing voluntary preschool to all four-year-olds.

The state of California would benefit, too. Research from the RAND Corporation estimates that for every $1 invested in preschool, California would receive $2.62 in benefits over the life of the child. RAND predicts that for every class year we provide preschool, students who participated in the program will contribute an additional $2.7 billion to California society over their lifetime. (The Economics of Investing in Universal Preschool Education in California. 2005.)

Only 54% of California’s children receive preschool of any kind, and only 1 in 5 of go to a quality preschool. This means many of California’s children will spend the rest of their lives trying to catch up to their more advantaged peers. Currently, 50% of fourth grade children in California schools are not reading at grade level.

Research shows that children who take part in a quality preschool program are more likely to have improved math and reading skills, have less need for special education, are better behaved in class, have fewer grade retentions, have higher rates of high school graduation, and are more likely to attend a four-year college. Furthermore, children attending preschool are less likely to go on welfare; on average, delay parenthood by two years (from age
17 to 19); and are less likely to become involved in a crime. (Abecedarian and High/Scope Perry Studies).

Four-year-olds learn through play and a quality preschool environment provides developmentally appropriate practices where a child’s work IS play.

Preschool is an important time for young children to make important connections about the world. Preschool age children are eager to learn through play experiences that enhance their self-confidence and love of learning, and they develop important social and emotional skills. Exposure to blocks, books and letters, crayons, scissors and paste all provide the important pre-literacy and pre-math skills needed in Kindergarten.

One of the common—and false—objections to Prop 82 is the mistaken notion that it will somehow take money away from the k-12 system. This is not true. Passage of Prop 82 will support and enhance the k-12 system. This is a new source of funding earmarked specifically for preschool, but more than that, preschool is the best thing we can do to strengthen the k-12 education system. More than 96% of California’s kindergarten teachers support preschool and 94% can easily determine which children entering kindergarten have had preschool (Poll conducted by Peter D. Hart Research, October 2005).
These are the children more willing to take risks, more confident in their interactions with peers and teachers, and ready to learn.

Be part of the educational reform movement that will have the greatest impact on the future success of California’s students and California’s future workforce—vote yes on Prop 82.