Thread: Lancaster,PA: feds grant 2.8 million for ESL full-day pre-K

Intelligencer Journal
Published: Sep 10, 2008
01:02 EST
Lancaster

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By BRIAN WALLACE, Staff

School District of Lancaster has been expanding its prekindergarten programs in recent years to better prepare "at-risk" students for academic success later in their school careers.

The district last year added about 170 3- and 4-year-olds to its prekindergarten roster through the state-funded Pre-K Counts program. This year, SDL opened a new free-standing prekindergarten center and expanded its school-based prekindergarten programs to a full-day schedule.

Now, with the help of a $2.8 million federal grant, the district plans to address the unique demographics of SDL's youngest students, two-thirds of whom are not native English speakers.

To help students overcome language barriers in the classroom, the district plans to hire a preschool English-as-a-second-language teacher, three bilingual assistants, three literacy coaches and an advocate to serve as liaison between the schools and the prekindergarten students and their families.

The grant also will pay for training for prekindergarten teachers in conversational Spanish — the predominant language of SDL students who don't speak English at home.

SDL was one of only 31 school systems nationwide to receive a grant through the Early Reading First program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for us," Traci Scott, the district's coordinator of early childhood education, said. "We're very excited to be able to provide additional services to our preschool children."

The grant will benefit 250 students this year at King, Burrowes, Lafayette and Price elementary schools, Scott said.

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Over three years, the program will serve 350 students at the four schools, which were selected because they offer prekindergarten programs for both 3- and 4-year-olds.

"Through (the grant), we will provide bilingual support in every classroom, which will allow children to bridge from Spanish to English with additional opportunities for language acquisition," Scott said.

The new staff members should be hired and the training completed by January, she said.

Districtwide, about 400 children are enrolled in prekindergarten programs. The students are selected based on family income, special educational needs or language barriers, factors that put them at risk of failure in school.

The goal of the Early Reading First program is to ensure that students succeed well beyond preschool, Scott said.

"What we would like to see is these children take off in kindergarten and continue to succeed all the way through school," she said.

Research has shown that students who receive a quality preschool education are more likely to graduate from high school and less likely to need remedial instruction throughout their academic careers.

"I do think the government is beginning to recognize that money is well spent in preschool," Scott said.

"We can help with deficiencies at this level and even the playing field for all children coming through."
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E-mail: bwallace@lnpnews.com

"Through (the grant), we will provide bilingual support in every classroom, which will allow children to bridge from Spanish to English with additional opportunities for language acquisition," Scott said.

AMERICA--DO YOU THINK IT IS FAIR THAT WE SPEND OUR TAX DOLLARS ON PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ONE?!

We could be using state tax funds to better the lives of citizens by building better roads, schools, hospitals, police precints, higher education programs for our students, etc. AMERICANS SHOULD BE RECEIVING REWARDS THROUGH THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF ITS CITIZENS.

AMERICA, "ALL FOR ONE, AND ONE FOR ALL"!! DEPORT ILLEGAL ALIENS THAT HAVE FORCED THEIR WAY INTO OUR SOCIETY. LET US ASK OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO ENFORCE OUR LAWS. BUILD THE FENCE & DEPORT ILLEGAL ALIENS!

We seem to be making some progress---then some treasonous fools take our money and aid in the invasion.

Research has shown that students who receive a quality preschool education are more likely to graduate from high school and less likely to need remedial instruction throughout their academic careers.

"I do think the government is beginning to recognize that money is well spent in preschool," Scott said.

"We can help with deficiencies at this level and even the playing field for all children coming through."

Is that so? Then why hasn't this been offered to ENGLISH speaking kids? Why do WE have to pay for preschool (aka daycare, which is what this is anyway), while kids of "non-english" speakers get it for FREE, with OUR tax dollars?!?!?!?! I practically KILLED myself to pay for daycare and these freeloaders get it for FREE?!?!?!?!?!?!? WTF?!?!

Originally Posted by miguelina

while kids of "non-english" speakers get it for FREE, with OUR tax dollars?!?!?!?! I practically KILLED myself to pay for daycare and these freeloaders get it for FREE?!?!?!?!?!?!? WTF?!?!

It's not fair. We need to do something about this. IT HAS GOT TO STOP!

$2.8 million for ESL full-day pre-school ...b/c 2/3 of the students are non-English speaking.....so what about the other 1/3 of the kids...how are they going to be treated...and how are the Spanish-speaking classes going to help them prepare for kindergarten?