Preschool becoming expected for public schools

"At first, I was like, 'Oh my,' " says Rehne, remembering the day she was told Booth Elementary School would participate in the state's experiment with full-day pre-kindergarten, meaning her children would no longer be split in two half-day shifts.

Nevada pre-school funding is tripling this year, reflecting a trend taking shape in American public education:

Nationwide, more than a quarter of 4-year-olds are now in state-funded preschool programs, according to a report released this spring by the U.S. Department of Education, tracking states' voluntary shift.

The federal government also has a program for poor families, Head Start, which extends the reach of publicly funded preschools to 42 percent of the country's 4-year-olds, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University.

America's K-12 system is being redefined as pre-K-12, especially in urban schools struggling with poor and minority students coming to kindergarten years behind in abilities.

Like five other states with small or no preschool programs, Nevada is being urged forward by the federal government through a four-year Preschool Development Grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

The grant funded full-day classes this fall at Washoe County School District's O'Brien Middle School, Sparks High School and Booth, Elmcrest and Lincoln Park elementary schools.

Another Washoe school, Mariposa Academy, will start offering preschool on Monday using state funding.

The findings reaffirm national research showing the cost savings of investing early in preschool instead of remediation later to catch students up.

Officials found students who participated in public preschool had a 4 percent higher passage rate in math and English language arts than their peers, according to state reports.

"It's not leaps-and-bounds miracles, but the difference is there," says Terry Randolph, preschool program coordinator for Washoe public schools.

"When do you read them a book?" says Randolph, who was a preschool teacher and is well aware of the struggle to reach the state's preschool standards.

Nevada's preschool standards touch on every subject from math to science, language, social studies, behavioral skills, creative expression and physical development.

Tina Springmeyer realizes the push for more preschool — and full-day classes — may be controversial for the public school system.

"There will always be people who think pre-K is a family responsibility," acknowledges Springmeyer, director of child and family services for Washoe public schools and coordinator of Nevada's Pre-K Standards Program.

Springmeyer would like to see preschool offered at every public school, same as kindergarten, which is also an optional grade for Nevada students.

State lawmakers have gradually grown to see kindergarten as a necessity, making the unprecedented shift this spring of funding full-day classes for every Nevada child in public school.