Pre- Kindergarten is an early child hood education setting for children ages three and four. It is also known by other names such as Pre- K and early on it was Head Start. It is designed to get children ready for Kindergarten, which is the first required grade in New York State. The goal is to ensure students will be ready for kindergarten. Pre-K is also supposed to aid success in school by third grade, which is when State testing begins. Universal Pre-K programs offer the same educational setting to any child in a given state, regardless of house hold income and abilities. Several states are on the path to funding universal Pre-K. New York is one of these States.
Pre- Kindergarten seems to be a hot topic since the incoming of the New York City Mayor Bill Deblasio. He has made Universal Pre- K apart of his agenda for city schools. Although it is a new idea for some, Pre- K has been around in the United States since 1922. The U.S. Head Start Program was the first federally funded Pre-K. It was opened in 1965 by President Johnson. Since that time, there has been an enormous amount of research on the effects of Pre K on the early learner.
A small minority of the research found negative impacts on early learners. One report noted that students are exposed to more diseases in Pre-K, due to being around more…show more content… While there is a little concern of a health risk and lack of individualism, the benefits far outweigh the potential threat. The short term benefits of Pre- K include increased social, emotional, and physical abilities for early learners. Students with special needs have a better chance of being diagnosed and receiving help in a professional class setting. Low and middle income homes benefit the most from early exposure to literacy and math. Minority students have shown the most academic increase after attending Pre