Thursday, Oct. 02, 2008

Olathe programs promote early-childhood education

It may seem like something small, but the Taylors try to do it once a week.

Sarah Taylor and her two children, both younger than 4, go to the "Parents as Teachers" playroom at the North Lindenwood Support Center.

Isaac Taylor, who is little more than a year old, played with several toys that were all new to him. The toys rocked, made noise and opened and closed. And they were all different from the toys he played with at home.

"He is definitely doing a lot more exploring," Taylor said. "We come here because it gives him another opportunity to learn."

As Taylor's children played Wednesday, the playroom was filled with adults taking part in "Ready for School Week." The tours were organized by the Kansas Coalition for School Readiness and other early-childhood partners. The goal was to educate legislators and candidates about the benefits of high-quality early learning. Tours like these went on throughout the week at 31 sites in Kansas.

"We certainly don't have the access that meets the demand in early education," said Jennifer Crow, executive director of the Kansas Coalition for School Readiness.

Kansas was ranked in 2007 as one of the five worst states in seeking high-quality, state-funded pre-kindergarten programs by advocacy group Pre-K Now.

The Kansas Legislature approved $14.4 million in funding for early education in Kansas this year, including an $11.1 million Early Childhood Block Grant. In 2007, the Legislature passed a $3 million increase from the year before. Money from the state's general fund also was shifted to the Children's Initiative Fund, which means "Kansas now has a dedicated funding stream for early learning and next year will seek to move pre-K into the school-funding formula," according to the Pre-K Now Web site.

In Olathe, the "Parents As Teachers" program serves 1,680 children with 172 families on the waiting list, said Nancy Keel, program coordinator.

"The coalition has tried to bring all of our services together to make legislators realize that all children need services and parents need to know where they can turn," Keel said. "We want to get kids ready to learn for when they walk in the door at kindergarten. We would never quit with a student, but it is so much harder at age 5."

The "Parents as Teachers" program provides information to parents of children younger than 36 months through home visits, playtimes, group meetings, developmental screenings and written information.

The Olathe Head Start program serves 149 students and has 50 to 60 students on the waiting list, said Kimberly Seel, Head Start director. Head Start is available to income-eligible families and provides education, social services, health exams, nutritious food, mental health counseling and support services for those with special needs.

When a spot opens up, the students on the waiting list are given priority through a point system. Students who are 4 years old and in single-parent homes and foster families, for instance, would get higher priority, Seel said.

"I think we have come a long way as more people realize how important it is, but the funding is scary sometimes because it is not always available," Seel said. "Maybe a lot of folks think it is important, but when you have to take a peek at funding and prioritize, sometimes it's the voice that is loudest that gets the priority."

Among the legislators and candidates who attended the tours were Becky Ansley, Arlen Siegfreid, Julia Lynn and Ron Wimmer.

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