Preschool
The need for quality preschool programs in Region 1 is great. We ended the
2010/2011 year with 1,449 preschool-age students in our program, and 536
students received migrant-funded services. An additional 404 students received
services through other local ELE programs. A total of 61% of our students received
preschool services. There are still many students that do not have
the opportunity to have a preschool experience.
We work hard to address this disparity. We conduct regular assessment of ALL
preschool students. One of our regional goals is to assure that all migrant
preschool students receive, at the least, an annual assessment and that the
results of that assessment be shared with their parents.
Advocacy is also an important component. We know that there are more
resources available for preschool services than at any time in the history of
our country. However, our migrant families typically lack information in regards
to these programs, and as a result, the participation rates for migrant
preschool students are often below that of their peers. If we are to address the
"achievement gap" with our school-age populations, we must begin to address this
"access gap"; at the preschool level. Migrant staff and parents can assist with
this process by becoming more aware of the existing preschool services in their
communities, by meeting regularly with existing providers, by providing
information to migrant families in regards to these programs, and by advocating
for migrant preschool children based on actual assessment information.
Within the region, preschool services take three forms:
- Migrant Education School Readiness (MESRP) programs
- Regionally Administered Kinder Readiness Academies
- District-facilitated programs
It is important that participating districts within the region not view the
MESRPP funding as the sole source of resources for working with migrant preschool
children. Of course, collaborations are to be encouraged at every turn. But in
addition to the collaborative partnerships that can be established, each
district receiving migrant funds and serving preschool-age children should be
utilizing at least a portion of their funding to serve these children. In the
very earliest stages, this might involve a special "readiness" program during
the summer for incoming kindergarten students. In larger, more developed
programs, MESRP programs can be augmented with existing MEP funding to provide
MESRP-alike type services to a larger portion of the preschool population. In
some cases it may be necessary to develop unique components within the regular
year and summer migrant program components to serve hard-to-reach students and
families.
We are committed in Region 1 to strengthening our early identification of the
preschool students, as well as building a more comprehensive service model that
more truly meets the needs of all of our students.
Program Structure/Methodology
The Region 1 MESRP program offers three types of preschool programs: 1) center
based, 2) home-based and 3) a combination of both. The center based programs in
Region 1 typically provide instruction 4 days per week for 3 hours a day. These
programs are set-up like a typical preschool classroom with learning centers
that include some combination of: reading nook/bookcase, dramatic play area, and
circle time area.
Our center based programs strive to incorporate both direct instruction and
interactive strategies designed to help develop independent learners through
their participation in cooperative learning groups. The preschool classroom
instructional day is designed to develop and expand oral language skills and
vocabulary through play, song, and field trip experiences. Basic understanding
of number concepts and number sense are reinforced through activities such as
counting, graphing weather, using manipulatives, and recognizing shapes and
colors.
Our home-based programs are characterized by weekly one-hour visits to the
home and most operate on average for 24 weeks but Santa Cruz is piloting a 2
visit per week, 12 week program. Our home-based programs require that the parent
be present throughout the entire visit as this provides an opportunity for the
home-visitor to serve as a “model” for the parent; home-visitors also instruct
parents as to what activities they want completed by the following week
(“home connection”).
Curriculum & Activities
With emphasis on literacy, English Language Development (ELD), math, and
social/emotional development, and based on Pre-Kindergarten standards, the
preschool programs currently use preschool research-based curriculums in
different combinations; most contain embedded literacy activities. Having a
standard set of best practices/goals will ensure a more uniform academic
experience/outcome for all children irrespective of location and instructor.
