I’m so happy that the City of Richmond School Board is considering Universal Preschool for all city residents. Basically, it sounds like they would extend the Virginia Preschool Initiative program to all the kids who parents want them to attend. That means free preschool from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday through Friday in a public school setting for tons of children who aren’t getting preschool at all. What that also means is kids OUT of daycare. Kids away from the T.V. and kids learning how to learn, before they enter Kindergarten and HAVE to learn.

Yes I am biased, my daughter went through the VPI program and she really got alot out of it. My husband has taught for the VPI program in the past and currently teaches Head Start for Richmond Public Schools. In addition, he is on a subcommittee for Gov. Tim Kaine’s Start Strong Council, which is examining if Universal PreK is feasible for the entire state. I have seen first hand how excellent this program is at giving kids (all kids, but especially kids who otherwise wouldn’t attend preschool) an advantage at life and at learning. The Kindergarten teachers fight over the kids who have been through the VPI program, because they already know how to learn and because the transition to Kindergarten is basically, no transition at all.

The only problem I see is transportation. Right now, at certain schools they can’t fill the VPI classes to capacity in certain areas because the parents don’t have reliable transportation to get their children to school each day. (Inner city day cares often provide transportation to the daycare, so even if it is more expensive, often children end up at daycare, which may or may not be getting them ready for school.) Preschoolers are not allowed to ride a regular school bus to and from school. Head Start children get a special bus, and currently VPI student’s parents must provide transportation for them each day. But unless the school board provides transportation, this isn’t going to work. The demand for the classroom space only exists once the transportation is provided.
And, the teachers need to be of the best caliber. Because let me tell you it is really hard teaching 19 3- and 4-year-olds how learn and act in a classroom when it is just you and a teacher’s aid. This needs to be a whole positive experience for both the child and the parent. I’ve heard first hand about inner city parents who had bad experiences with school during their own education (maybe not that long ago) who were distrustful of teachers and very apprehensive learn first hand that the VPI classroom of today, is an entirely different and positive experience for their child. So much so that she opened her mind up to going back to school herself.

Universal preschool is vital to Richmond Public School’s future success and the success of our city. Educated children who love school make for happy adults who contribute to the workforce. And children who have been through this program make an easy transition from a play oriented and social skills curriculum to an academic based one, without out the frustration and fear that can often develop if a child is behind before he even starts Kindergarten.

This could be a great thing for Richmond, (and Richmond’s business world) and something the Gang of 26 could use their time wisely by advocating for.