Montana looking at possible pre-kindergarten programs. Conference scheduled for 10/4 in Missoula

The start of school is one month away, or two years too late, depending on your point of view.

While most of Montana’s children are reveling in the last half of summer vacation, their teachers and education leaders are considering whether to begin school at age 3. They’re feeling pressure from a national movement promoting pre-kindergarten as a cost-effective way of boosting academic and social performance in later years.

“Montana’s a little behind the group when you compare us to other states’ pre-kindergarten programs,” said Kelly Rosenleaf, director of Missoula Childcare Resources. “We still have high graduation rates, but increasingly we understand about early brain development. There’s a lot of concern about children entering school not ready to learn.”

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Montana Early Childhood Business Summit, 10/4, Missoula
http://www.matr.net/article-19762.html

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Montana is one of 10 states that offer no state-funded pre-kindergarten programs, according to a review by Pre-K Now, a national nonprofit organization advocating for early childhood education. That status may change soon.

By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian

Full Story: http://missoulian.com/articles/2006/08/06/news/mtregional/news07.txt

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