High-Quality Pre-K: Why it Matters

Sending your little one out into the world to begin the start of their many school days to come can be an emotional time for parents. It's important to select the right program for your child (and family), while being sure to set them up for future success.

Research shows that it’s the quality – what really makes the program tick – that matters the most. 

Examples include a specialized preschool curriculum, strong preschool educators, hands-on learning opportunities, full school days and smaller class ratios.

So, parents, when you’re ready to sign up your child for pre-K, keep in mind some of the benefits of a high-quality preschool program. 

Focus on the Whole Child

In educational terms, the “whole” child refers to many domains of development, including academic, social-emotional and physical. A high-quality preschool program incorporates all areas of a child’s development and also may refer to a child’s religion and spiritual program of a religious preschool. When children are young, they learn through their work, in how they play and interact with others, how they play during recess or during their movement breaks. 

According to “Building Blocks of High-Quality Early Childhood Education Programs,” preschools that focus on the whole child also “implement developmentally appropriate curricula, which emphasize guided learning opportunities that are language-rich and hands-on. Research finds that students who are engaged with content in deep ways while developing conceptual understanding are better able to develop skills in specific areas, such as math or language development. However, a curriculum must be well implemented if it is to be effective. Strong preservice teacher preparation and in-class coaching for teachers increase the likelihood that curricula will be used effectively.”  

Strong Classroom Teachers

Another benefit of and way parents can ensure their young children have access to a high-quality preschool experience is to ask about the preschool teacher’s experience. When visiting a prospective preschool, parents should ask about the teacher’s specialized knowledge and instruction curriculum for young children. Ask to see a sample of their lesson plans and what professional development they’ve completed. Make sure the lead preschool teacher has had experience with this specialized form of teaching to younger children.

Smaller Class Sizes & Student-Teacher Ratio

There’s no doubt about it, but a smaller class size and teacher-student ratio make more allowances for one-on-one instruction and learning time. This helps ensure a better high-quality education. With a smaller classroom, teachers can address the different needs of each student more thoughtfully. Teachers may have more freedom to pull a student aside and explain a lesson to a child or a small group with more ease than if they had a large class size. 

Year-Round Learning

Another benefit of and way parents can help their child gain a high-quality preschool experience is to enroll them in a full-day pre-K program. Now before you think that a full-time program will overwhelm your small child (or yourself), think again. Research shows that extra school hours improved how children performed in assessments of vocabulary, literacy, math and more. With a full-day pre-K program, children are not rushed through a half-day preschool day and are allowed more flexibility and free choices to play throughout the day, including recess. Full-day preschools almost always build in rest time into the schedule every day, which are essential for young children.

There’s no doubt that there is more pressure on parents today than ever before when it comes to the preschool selection process for their child. However, by doing research into some of the key areas highlighted here, your child is bound to find a high-quality preschool program which will undoubtably set them up for success in kindergarten and beyond.