Wednesday, February 14, 2007
School Readiness in the News...
Here is more news about Minnesota taking steps to improve school readiness and early childhood education.
From the Minneapolis Star Tribune...
Response in an article from the Minnesota Spokesman Recorder...
More from Minnesota Public Radio...
Hopefully we will begin to see some changes. To keep current on this topic in Minnesota go to the Ready4K website.
Here is more news about Minnesota taking steps to improve school readiness and early childhood education.
From the Minneapolis Star Tribune...
• Bipartisan support is building for more state spending on early childhood education for disadvantaged children.
• Gov. Tim Pawlenty has proposed about $30 million per year for a "scholarship fund" that would help low-income parents place about 7,000 pre-schoolers into high-quality education programs..
• Ready 4 K, a coalition of business and children's advocacy groups, is pushing for a plan that would help an estimated 37,000 children and cost about $150 million annually.
Response in an article from the Minnesota Spokesman Recorder...
About half of all Minnesota children enter school unprepared, education experts believe. Child advocacy groups contend that at least $200 million is needed for early childhood education, which many believe could help close or eliminate the achievement gap. Those who attended a joint K-12 hearing on January 30 concurred, telling lawmakers that more emphasis is needed to prepare children before they attend kindergarten.
Studies show that addressing the achievement gap could save the state millions in such areas as court and corrections costs. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty recommends nearly half of his 2008-09 fiscal year budget — almost 40 percent — go toward K-12 education. But MPS Student Support, Family and Community Engagement Director Eleanor Coleman criticized Pawlenty’s $66 million plan for state prison improvements. She said that money could instead be invested in education; the governor proposes only $29 million for early childhood education.
More from Minnesota Public Radio...
State lawmakers have learned that a DFL Senate proposal for early childhood education subsidies would cost more than $201 million over two years. The estimated price tag is seven times as costly as Gov. Pawlenty's pre-kindergarten plan. Still, the the legislation received bipartisan praise during a Senate committee hearing.
Hopefully we will begin to see some changes. To keep current on this topic in Minnesota go to the Ready4K website.
// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 7:04 PM 
