Success! Paying for Kindergarten - Framingham Kindergarten Budget Crisis Update
May 12th, 2008 by masspreschools
After a troubling week I am proud to say that we have had success trying to drum up help for Framingham residents struggling with the town’s school budget crisis and its impact on kindergarten availability. At least one school has committed to offering tuition assistance for the limited number of open seats it has left in its well-respected kindergarten program. They will announce the program in the next few days and begin accepting applications for the need-based kindergarten scholarship program shortly afterward. These scholarships are a tribute to the school’s founder so we won’t steal their thunder here but look for these scholarships and hopefully more to come from other area private kindergarten programs.
This is a fitting time to let everyone know that I will be handing my responsibilities with Massachusetts Preschool.org to several of our other volunteers. I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of our community. I have found that be it a family in Shanghai looking for a preschool for their son upon relocation to Boston, to local grandparents rejoicing at the benefits preschool has afforded their grand children, we are all far more alike than different. We can disagree on so much, but oddly enough, everyone values the experience of a high quality preschool education. While many of us have not had the good fortune of a quality preschool experience, without exception, be it the most cynical politician or steadfast home-schooler, once one experiences the rewards of a great preschool education, all are converted and insist on the best from that point forward. Its a virtuous cycle that we only need to prime with hard work now.
Keep insisting on the very best for your children. I believe, (actually I know), parents have the ability to improve early childhood education far more than any policy, politician or even budget initiative can. Parents, by insisting on the best, can create market pressure that forces all preschools to improve. Everyone wants high quality preschool - insisting upon it will make it happen for everyone. Educate yourself. Research, then insist on the best. Demand continuous improvement. Don’t settle for the status quo. Keep asking your preschool teachers how they will improve next year - even if this year was great. Your children, our future, deserve the best.
Darby
Click here to use Sphere to find other related articles and blogs from across the web.