|
|
2/14/01
Question 62
Dear Preschool Teacher,
What is the difference between Headstart,
Preschool, and Kindergarten?
What are the ages for each?
Need Clarification
Dear Need Clarification:
This is a good question, but the answer will
vary depending on which state you live in. Basically, preschool
is for 3 and 4 year old children, the years before kindergarten.
(Our center accepts children at 2-1/2 years old and potty trained.)
The ages for kindergarten vary -- check with your local school
district to find out for your area, frequently children need to be 5
years old before school begins. Sometimes it is wise to delay entry
into kindergarten to allow an additional year for growth.
Headstart, I believe, is a state funded program for
preschool to help economically disadvantaged children get ready for
school.
Kris
"Ask The Preschool Teacher Staff"
Dear Need Clarification,
I've taught in each of those categories.
Headstart is a Federally Funded program for economically disadvantaged
children. t is based on the parent/guardian's income. Ages range
from 3-5.
Preschool is for 3- and 4- year olds. It is
mainly in the private sector. However, here in Georgia we now have a
public Pre-k program funded by the state lottery.
Kindergarten is for 5-year-olds. It can
be private or public. Georgia Public Kindergarten states that
the student must be 5 before September 1 of the year of enrollment.
This is a brief overview of the programs.
Hope this helps!
Annie
"Ask The Preschool Teacher Staff"
Dear Need Clarification,
Head Start is a federally or state funded
preschool program for low income families. The ages are 3 to 5
years old. There are income guidelines that have to be
followed to enroll a child in Head Start. They also take 10%
over income so there is an economic mix of children. There is
an educational plan to be followed and programs have to be in
compliance with those guidelines or they could lose their funding.
A preschool program can vary greatly since
there are no guidelines for them. Depending on the state where
it is located, each state has a different group who sets the
rules and regulations. It could be the Department of Education or the
Department of Human Services. The ages can be from 6 wks. to 6
years usually. They can run their programs how they want as long
as the rules and regulations are met. (Usually only safety issues).
Kindergartens vary from state to state also.
Some states take children at 4 years old. Some places have a
pre-kindergarten for the 4's. Most states you have to be 5 by a
cut off date to enroll in kindergarten. They teach an
educational program and are much stricter than the other two
programs. Most preschool programs are now teaching pre-k
skills due to the number of children who attend a program before
kindergarten. It used to be that social skills were mainly
taught but now it is ABC and 123!
Jackie
"Ask The Preschool Teacher Staff"
Dear Need Clarification,
I am sure
each state is different, but here in Connecticut, preschool is
generally for 3 to 5 year olds. Headstart Programs are federally
funded preschool programs for children of lower income households.
In our state, the fees are determined by
a sliding scale based on household income. In CT, Kindergarten
is part of the public school experience, and all children who will be
5 yrs. old by Dec. 31st can attend. It is usually a half-day
program, however there seems to be a push to have full-day
kindergarten. Hope this helps you!
Jill
"Ask The Preschool Teacher Staff"
Dear Need Clarification,
I feel that Head start and Preschool are the
same but the children are from different economic levels. They have
different experiences and need to be challenged in a different ways.
If fact I found as a kindergarten teacher (which is the next age
group), if a head start child was motivated I saw the most
growth because they were like sponges. Everything was new and they
loved learning.
Maureen
"Ask The Preschool Teacher Staff"
|
