The Feasibility of FullDay Kindergarten Dr. Paul Kershaw paul.kershawubc.ca College For Interdiscipl

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The Feasibility of Full-Day Kindergarten Dr.
Paul Kershawpaul.kershaw_at_ubc.caCollege For
Interdisciplinary Studies, University of British
ColumbiaHuman Early Learning PartnershipOctober
24 2008Presentation at Towards a Roadmap for
Preschool Children in BCVancouver, BC
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Is Full-Day Kindergarten Feasible?

• Dont need a feasibility assessment to answer
  this question!
• Full-day, quality early learning and care
  services are the norm for almost all 5, 4 and
  3-year-olds in many European countries.
• Such services are evolving in Quebec, although
  space shortages remain.
• If these places can do it, then it is feasible
  in BC and other Canadian provinces.
• Any remaining debate about implementation
  strategies.

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BC 0.16 of GDP
Is Full-Day Kindergarten a Priority? One
consequence we have forgone the benefits to
which Drs. Barnett and Frede point.
Source Starting Strong ll Early Childhood
Education and Care September 2006
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Will British Columbians Alter Our Priorities Now?
Research provides strong reason for us to value
full-day early learning and care programs more
than we do. But the path from research to policy
is not linear! Various concerns and ideas
mediate the process for which there is little, if
any, support.

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Myth 1 Distracting Debates
Recognize the play-based learning and exploration
that developmentally appropriate for 5, 4 and 3
year olds.
Child care is baby sitting. Kindergarten
institutionalizes children. Lets not get
caught up in semantics! What we ought to be
talking about the public investment and
policies needed to create full-day programs that
promote QUALITY experiences which are ACCESSIBLE
to all children and their families. As per Dr.
Barnetts talk, research shows Benefits outweigh
Costs.

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Myth 2 Investing in Full-Day Services Isnt
Fair to Families in which a parent remains home

Research shows that Canadas Policy Legacy one
that privileges two parent households in which
mothers care full-time. Spousal and Common Law
Tax Credit most obvious example of that legacy.
Over 1,500 tax free for one earner couples.
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Public policy can do more to facilitate parental
time to care, particularly for fathers.
?
?

• One earner couples who dont use regulated child
  care services often have the most valuable
  benefit package for a given income range.
• Child care ? benefit negative between ½ Avg.
  and Average Income.
• Absence of public support for costs of child
  rearing most notable for two earners with
  preschool child in child care services..

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?
Given strengths and weaknesses of existing
benefit package for families with children,
quality child care services major missing piece
of the family benefit package puzzle.
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Myth 3 We Cant Afford the Investment Now

There are very few, if any, policies that are
unaffordable to citizens of Canada and other OECD
member countries. There are only policies that
are more or less of a priority than
others. Government responses to current global
economic malaise reminds us of this fact! Why is
public investment in quality full-day
kindergarten services any less of a priority than
financial reprieves for major banks? Dr. Barnett
provides evidence that minimum return for
investment in full-day early learning and care
services more than 100.
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BC Premier Campbell laid out plan to stimulate
economy on October 22.

He would do well to recognize the financial
constraints that child care service costs impose
on household spending and labour supply.
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1,879
- 45
- 176
- 129
- 115
- 524
5.13/hr
889
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BC Premier Campbell laid out plan to stimulate
economy on October 22.

The plan prioritizes accelerating investments in
new infrastructure. Quality, Full-Day
Kindergarten and Child Care Services can be
vital, productive infrastructure that would
contribute to multiple social objectives. In the
last 10 years, the BC government has acknowledged
the range of goals to which full-day early
learning and care can contribute by locating
responsibility for this issue in multiple
ministries.
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Within the last decade, child care services were
the responsibility of the Ministry of Social and
Economic Development.
May, 2007 AGM resolution of the BC Chamber of
Commerce a comprehensive strategic plan for the
child care system in BC is critical to staying
competitive in todays global economy. The
application of economic models developed by Drs.
Cleveland and Krashinsky shows that
full-employment-day early learning and care
services can yield labour supply that outpaces
that provided by the 15,000 immigrants attracted
to BC last year. At household level, evidence
confirms that 2nd earner is best insurance policy
against family poverty.
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Within the last decade, child care services were
the responsibility of the Ministry for Womens
Equality
Full-Day Kindergarten and Child Care Services
remains a key plank in any platform for gender
equality. Gender earnings gap, occupational
segregation, lower public pensions for women, and
higher poverty for women across the life course
all have their origin in the dearth of
full-employment-day services and mens privilege
of irresponsibility for care. The resulting
economic insecurity among women renders them more
susceptible to male violence The dearth of
affordable quality child care makes it more
difficult to relocate themselves and their
children to safe households.
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Within the last decade, child care services were
the responsibility of the Ministry for Children
and Family Development.
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Percentage of Students Vulnerable on One or More
scales of the EDI Based on Provincial cutoffs,
Wave 1
2001-2004 26 of BC kindergarten age children
developmentally vulnerable
Some Scandinavian countries report that 10 of
children vulnerable.
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Percentage of Students Vulnerable on One or More
Scales of the EDI Based on Provincial cutoffs,
Wave 2
2004-2007 29 of BC kindergarten age children
developmentally vulnerable
SES Gradients show that the majority of
vulnerable children are among the populous
middle-class.
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Within the last decade, child care services were
the responsibility of the Ministry for Children
and Family Development.
Books for Babes or Ready, Set, Learn, etc. are
not up to the task of reducing this
vulnerability. Open question as to whether Strong
Start programs valuable at population level,
since this program model caters
disproportionately to the minority of BC families
where parents who are not employed during most of
the hours in which Strong Start is open. Dr.
Barnetts presentation provides ample evidence
that quality early learning and care programs for
children age 3-5 can minimize early
vulnerability. ? BCs GREAT GOAL of building the
best system of support in Canada for persons with
disabilities, those with special needs, children
at risk and seniors.
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Feasibility Assessment the responsibility of
the Ministry of Education.
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Percent of Children Not Passing on Grade 4
standardized assessments.
of EDI Vulnerabilities Failing to meet
Not passing G. 4 (kindergarten)
expectations
Reading 0 13.6 17.8 1 26.7 33.9 2-3
29.5 43.1 4-5 48.4 68.3
BCs GREAT GOAL of becoming the most literate
jurisdiction on the continent will be well served
by Quality Preschool Programs, because evidence
shows they promote language and cognitive gains
which persist into school years.
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Ministerial History of Child Care in BC shows
that the Provincial Government Already Recognizes
Quality Full-Day Early Learning and Care Services
have potential to be Vital Infrastructural
Support for Multiple Goals.
Time to bring the wisdom from past Ministries
together to support families as they negotiate
current economic difficulties and to stimulate
the economy. Recognize that well-designed
full-day kindergarten or child care services for
5, 4 and 3 year olds have potential to be the
most important social policy innovation in a
generation. An election year ideal time for
citizens to revisit priorities.
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Thank you.

• Paul Kershaw, Ph.D.
• The University of British Columbia
• College of Interdisciplinary Studies
• Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP)
• http//www.earlylearning.ubc.ca/PaulKershaw.htm
• e-mail paul.kershaw_at_ubc.ca

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Health care a backbone of modern social
citizenship.

• But despite funding and personnel crises, we
  continue to think about health care primarily in
  terms of the medical care needed to treat illness
  rather than preventative health promotion.

2007 15 cut to child care services.
From Medical to Social Care