Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Cons of Universal Preschool

Carolina's 15 websites on the Cons of Universal Preschool:

1) Wikipedia
http://en.winkipedia.org/wiki/Universal_preschool
Opposing aspects of Univeral Preschool.
Rating: 10

2) Commonwealth Foundation
http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/commentary/universal-preschool-hasnt-delivered-results
This article utters that a strong and growing body of literature shows that preschool produces virtually no lasting benefits for the majority of children.
Rating: 17

3) Palo Alto on Line
http://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/story.php?story_id=1054
Several aspects of the Universal Preschool Program are questioned in this article--from costs to curriculum, and etc.
"The curriculum has gotten pushed back so kindergarten is much more strenuous than it used to be. There is homework in kindergarten," said Elissa Kaplan, who has taught at Preschool Family for about 10 years. "We don't allow enough time for kids to play and just be. I don't want to see the curriculum brought down."
Rating:17

4) Local Homeschool.com
http://localhs.com/hs/universal-preschool.asp
This article talks about the impact the Universal Preschool might have on development of a healthy attachment between children and their parents. It states that, "The institutionalization of young children and warning of the potential damage psychologically, emotionally, and physically to them of not only separation from their parents and home, but the introduction of early academics as well."
Rating:15

5) Public School Review
http://www.publicschoolreview.com/articles/52
This article brings up that preschool programs are not granting to be worth of its costs. "Public preschool for younger children is irresponsible, given the failure of the public school system to educate the children currently enrolled."
Rating: 15

6) SFGate
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/12/04/ING6JG1BA81.DTL
The costs of Universal Preschool Programs.
Rating: 14

7) John Schwenkler
http://johnschwenkler.wordpress.com/2008/08/22/against-universal-preschool/
Some kids would benefit more from spending time with their parents during their early years than from going to preschool.
Rating: 10

8) Reason Foundation
http://www.reason.org/commentaries/snell_20080822.shtml
No lasting academic value is shown by those students who participated in the Universal Preschool Program.
Rating: 17

9) Institute on Education Law and Policy
http://ielp.rutgers.edu/developments/archive/11/2005
The program may hinder social development.
Rating: 8

10) Domestic Divapalooza
http://angela-stevens.com/archives/is-preschool-bad-for-children/
"The reality is that the overwhelming majority of children come from loving homes with attentive parents. Tearing children away from their homes and families for government-run, institutionalized learning programs that demonstrate absolutely no concrete benefit to the children is somewhere between sinister and cruel."
Rating: 10

11) Library of Economics and Liberty
http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2008/08/liberal_fascism.html
"The only preschool programs that seem to do more good than harm are very intense interventions targeted toward severely disadvantaged kids... Even so, the economic gains of these programs are grossly exaggerated. For instance, Prof. Heckman calculated that the Michigan program produced a 16-cent return on every dollar spent -- not even remotely close to the $10 return that [its] advocates bandy about."
Rating: 10

12) Connect for Kids
http://www.connectforkids.org/node/4170
This article talks about the pros and cons of Universal Preschool. Some of the cons aspects are: children would be hurt (social and emotionally), K-12 should get the money, program should target poor families, a requirement would hurt providers--and kids, existing preschools would be hurt.
Rating: 17

13) Smart Voter (Proposition 82)
http://www.smartvoter.org/2006/06/06/ca/state/prop/82/
This article also talks about the pros and cons of Universal Preschool. But it has a section with rebuttal to arguments in favor and against it, which is very interesting.
Rating: 8

14) Oakland Tribune
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_/ai_n16197167
This articles talks about some cons regarding the Universal Preschool Program.
Rating: 14

15) Tennessee Center for Policy Research
http://www.tennesseepolicy.org/main/article.php?article_id=125&cat=26
"The facts, however, proved quite the opposite. The programs produce little or no demonstrable advantage despite their hefty pricetags and lofty aspirations."
Rating: 16