By Lynn Hatter
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-982685.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Former Miami-Herald Publisher turned child advocate David Lawrence is calling on the state to take a closer look at its voluntary pre-kindergarten program. Lawrence spoke before the state's higher education coordinating council about the importance of starting children off right early in life, and as Lynn Hatter reports, at least one group is taking up Lawrence's recommendations.
David Lawrence says Florida may have a voluntary pre-kindergarten program, but it isn't what he calls "high-quality." He says the state needs to look at the way it evaluates pre-K programs, starting with what is taught in the classroom. He also says the state should look into its standards on teacher certification and consider boosting funding.
"If you ever required credentialed teachers you'd be talking about a significant amount of money. Then there's the issue of the per-child allotment per provider. We started out at 2500. The national average is more than four-thousand, and ours hasn't grown from 2500 in the past six years, but has diminished."
The State Board of Education, which oversees pre-Kindergarten programs, is taking the issue up at its next meeting. It's considering making a request to the legislature for additional funding for new Pre-K assessments.