Parents always invested in providing a high quality education for their children, as a high quality education is the key to any child’s future success. In the United States, a compulsory education runs from kindergarten through 12th grade, after which a student will graduate high school. Many parents are looking for good high schools or middle schools for their children when they move to a new area, but that’s not the only way for a child to get a high quality education. Many parents are sending their young children to preschools, and the benefits of academic preschool are many. These preschools are not to be confused with a day care service, though, as that is an entirely different institution. Finding the right preschool is often a matter of using an accurate Internet search, and parents may do this when they move to a new area or when their child is first old enough for preschool. When is it time for an early but high quality education for your child?
Americans and Preschool
Preschool enrollment is not mandatory the way a K-12 education is, but many parents opt for this for their children, and more American children than ever before are going to preschool. From 1990 to 2013, the rates of children going to preschool climbed substantially, from 59% in 1990 to 65% by 2013. Much of that growth took place from 1990 to 2000 or so, and the numbers show that most often, it is four to five year old children who are being enrolled, though three-year-olds may also be enrolled. It may also be noted that families of different ethnic or racial backgrounds send their children to preschool at similar rates. In particular, 63.5% of white non-Hispanic children are enrolled in preschool or similar preprimary programs, and 68.4% of African-American/Black children are, too. Similarly, 68.4% of Asian-American children are enrolled in these programs, and 59% of non-white Hispanic American children are also enrolled in these programs.
The numbers also show that a child is somewhat more likely to be enrolled in preschool if his or her mother is working. In 2012, for example, 67% of children who had full-time or part-time working mothers were enrolled in child care of some sort, compared to 59% of children who had mothers seeking employment and 52% of children whose mothers were not in labor force at all. But no matter what a child’s household demographic, that child’s parents may find a good preschool for them with the help of the Internet.
Finding a Good Preschool
When parents move to a new city or county, or when their child is old enough for preschool, those parents may conduct an online search to find a good preschool for them. Doing this may involve not only specifying “preschool” in the search as opposed to “daycare,” but also the desired location. Clients may specify their city or town name or even their ZIP code to keep the results local, and they may also specify that they are looking for a private preschool if desired. These privately funded and owned preschools often boast strong funding and expert staff that parents may find appealing. Once a search is complete, the parents may find a whole list of results, and strike out preschools that are deemed too far to visit or those that aren’t accepting any new students anyway. Meanwhile, parents and their child may visit the other schools together to evaluate them.
Once on campus, the parents may consult the staff who work there, such as checking the credentials of the teachers and reviewing the school’s funding and available activities or programs for the young students. Parents may also check the feedback that the parents of previous or current students have provided. Meanwhile, the clients’ child may form his her own impression of the preschool, and if that child feels comfortable there and gets along with the staff, then that school may be a strong candidate. The parents may visit a number of preschools like this until they have found one that meets their needs, and enroll their child there for an early education. This may adequately prepare that child for elementary school and teach them valuable social skills, too.
