Pulling preK¹

¹We use the term preK to denote public funded programs for four and in some cases three year olds.

into a K-12 orbit: the evolution of preK in the age of standards

Abstract

We might call this decade the era of early childhood. In the US, federal and state governments invest in the creation of public pre-kindergarten (preK) programs and create standards that articulate goals for practice and benchmarks that can be used to evaluate success. How have these trends provided a context for the evolution of preK curriculum? In this paper, we analyze the enactment of preK policy in New Jersey, a highly regulated preK program and Wisconsin, a local control state. We argue that standards-based practice is evolving into accountability in public preK programs, where outcomes set parameters for planning and teachers and children are increasingly regulated. As preK is more closely affiliated with the K-12 sector (elementary and secondary), preK programs are subject to the logic of alignment, benchmarks and assessments. Even when early learning standards support child-centered approaches to curriculum they are overruled by accountability discourse.

Keywords:

• Early childhood
• public preK
• standards
• developmentally appropriate practice

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the participating teachers, administrators and families who shared their experiences us.

Notes

¹ We use the term preK to denote public funded programs for four and in some cases three year olds.