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2 - School Readiness: Defining the Goal for Universal Preschool

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2012

Edward Zigler ,
Walter S. Gilliam  and
Stephanie M. Jones
Edward Zigler
Affiliation:
Yale University, Connecticut
Walter S. Gilliam
Affiliation:
Yale University, Connecticut
Stephanie M. Jones
Affiliation:
Yale University, Connecticut
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Summary

The purpose of universal prekindergarten (UPK) is to help all children get ready for the learning opportunities that will be presented when they begin formal schooling. How school readiness is defined has important implications for how UPK should be organized, the types and quality of services that should be provided, and the length and intensity of programming needed to have the best chance of achieving this goal. To paraphrase an old adage, it's impossible to know what direction to head if we don't know where we want to go. The definition of school readiness influences more than policy statements and mandates about curricula, class sizes, teacher training, and other details regarding how UPK is to be delivered. The definition spells out the desired results and therefore gives program designers a master plan for determining whether their efforts are successful.

The immediate goal for any system of universal preschool is of course to increase the school readiness of all students. By implication, the ultimate goal is to increase their chances of succeeding in school and later in life. In this chapter, we discuss why school readiness is so critical for later educational success. We also look at various approaches to dealing with “unready” students, approaches that are shaped by how one defines being ready for school. We examine current debates about what it means to be prepared for school and offer a comprehensive model of school readiness to be used by state policy makers for strategic planning for a universal UPK system.

Type
Chapter
Information
A Vision for Universal Preschool Education , pp. 19 - 36
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2006

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