Quality pre-kindergarten in NM is a right

Susana Rios
Anthony Elementary pre-K teacher Lourdes Aguirre shows students Matthew Gonzalez, left, and Melissa Trejo how to weigh fruit, as they play in the classroom’s “supermarket.” The class is part of the Gadsden Independent School District “On Track” pre-K system that serves 500 4-year-olds in southern Doña Ana County.

 

In my pre-kindergarten classroom, my students and I would gather on the carpet to go over the day’s calendar, alphabet and numbers in three different languages. I taught them how to become good listeners, take turns when talking and express their needs in a clear way. We focused on being kind to one another and respectful of each other’s space. They negotiated who would have the blocks first, who would start their show and tell and who would pass the milk jar at the table.

In my pre-K class, there was Carlos who was rough with others around him. I taught Carlos how to solve conflict through words and he learned how to play with other kids for longer periods of time. It was common to see Carlos’ family in our classroom events and they asked many questions about his academic progress. We spoke openly. As I witnessed the many benefits that children receive when they are enrolled in a pre-K program, I learned that the social and family context of my students’ cognitive development played a big part of how they learn and socialize.

I remember being at the block area when Damarko asked me, “Can you do it for me?” He wanted me to draw a car with chalk on the black paper on the wall. I reflected on the learning curve young children experience when they have not been exposed to activities that foster self-expression. Damarko thought he needed an adult to do it the ‘right’ way. Pre-K education gave him the opportunity to find the artist in him, unravel his imagination and express himself in various ways including through sketching.

New Mexico ranks at the bottom or near-the bottom nationally on quality education measures. The data is not encouraging. New Mexico is in the 50th place on the number of children living in poverty, in 48th on the number of children in families without secure employment, and in the 38th place on the number of young children not in school. With pre-K services not being available in all counties, the promise to provide high quality education to all our children seems utopic. Parents face few options when it comes to the education of their young. Many opt for home-care services which are not always the highest quality.

When I became a kindergarten teacher, I noticed a wide academic gap between students with pre-K education and those without. I spent more time working with my students with no pre-K education. Coming with a poor foundation on phonological awareness and phonics, students lacked reading stamina and progressed slowly. They often had poor attention, socialization and communication skills along with challenging behaviors.

In contrast, students with pre-K education showed higher communication skills and were more attentive to instruction. They would follow the routine without being asked, would come to circle time, sit at the carpet, and take turns starting conversations with other children. They demonstrated higher ability to carry on writing assignments such as drawing, tracing, copying from the board, and were more actively involved during singing and discursive activities.

Kindergarteners with pre-K experience were more likely to attain at-grade-level reading scores at the beginning of the year. Their social-emotional skills carried through into years ahead, helping them to establish and maintain friendships. My experiences validate what an overwhelming body of research supports: high-quality pre-K responds to young kids’ needs and adds benefits in the long run.

I worry that this research and experiences of teachers like me are not considered convincing data to lawmakers to adequately and permanently fund the expansion of high-quality pre-K programs in New Mexico. This is why my cohort of Teach Plus Policy Fellows is recommending to increase funding over the next five years to support the development and expansion of pre-K in every district in our state. We propose using a checklist to identify children most in need of early education services such as students with disabilities, English language learners, and those living in a low-socio-economic status, in foster care, or in a household with members of the armed forces in the U.S.

The exposure to pre-K education should not be an option but a right. I urge all education stakeholders to join efforts in supporting a reliable policy plan that adequately funds and permanently sustains a pre-K expansion in our state. The future of our youngest citizens depends on it.

Susana Rios teaches language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies in English and Spanish in a 2nd grade dual-language classroom at Sonoma Elementary in Las Cruces Public Schools. She is a Teach Plus New Mexico Teaching Policy Fellow.