Posted on 05/17/2005 4:25:56 AM PDT by tuffydoodle
Expulsion rate highest for preschoolers, study shows
By Cynthia L. Garza
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
FORT WORTH - Karen Medzorian didn't claim that her little boy was perfect. Kevin, who is now 5 years old, became frustrated quite easily, threw temper tantrums and became unruly at his day-care center.
Preschool workers tried to work with Kevin's behavior problems and gave him several chances to improve. Eventually, his mother received a heartbreaking message: "Our program is probably not the best program for your son."
Over the past year, Kevin has been through three preschools, after being kicked out of the first two.
"I felt like he had been cast in this misbehaving role, and now he may not know how else to act," she said.
A Yale University study released today found that the youngest students, those in pre-kindergarten, are expelled at a rate more than three times that of children in grades kindergarten through 12. The study found that 4-year-olds, boys and African-Americans are more likely to be expelled from pre-K than other groups.
"Pre-kindergartners Left Behind: Expulsion Rates in State Pre-kindergarten Systems" looked at expulsion data obtained from nearly 3,900 teachers from all 40 states, including Texas, that fund pre-K programs. Data was broken down by gender, race, ethnicity and program setting -- public school, Head Start or private providers. The main study focused on the rate of expulsion in pre-K programs serving 3- and 4-year-olds.
In Texas, one of every 167 pre-kindergarten students is expelled, according to the report. More than 240,000 children ages 3 and 4 in Texas are enrolled in a state or federally funded preschool program, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research. No numbers are readily available on how many other children in Texas attend preschool in a non-publicly funded program.
"What the data does tell us, as does the show Supernanny, is that there are a lot of kids out of control out there, and preschool programs are not having success in setting them on a better course," said pre-K expert Karen Hill-Scott. "Early education programs, unfortunately, are giving up on children when the promise of preschool is supposed to be early identification and prevention."
The study recommends that programs develop clear policies on how to deal with students with behavioral problems, like placing them in an alternative program or providing individual behavioral aides. It also recommends requiring that teachers be trained in addressing behavior problems.
"When we fail to provide these supports, we place children and their families in a very difficult situation, where some children are bounced from one program to the next and parents may end up viewing their child as an educational failure well before kindergarten," said Walter Gilliam, the Yale Child Study Center researcher who led the study.
In addition to straining families, problematic children strain teachers.
"Teaching our youngest children is hard, demanding work, and on some days it can be grueling," said Libby Doggett, executive director for Pre-K Now, a Washington-based pre-kindergarten advocacy group. "This report tells us that in many states, we've failed our teachers."
Heather Kepler, Kevin's teacher at Camp Fire Family Center Child Care in Fort Worth, said many children are not being taught how to express themselves, and their parents are not setting appropriate limits and boundaries, or being consistent with discipline.
The little ones scream, kick, hit and throw things at school.
Kepler, who has taught preschool for 16 years, uses a classroom management program called The Peaceable Classroom, which helps children deal with their problems through a conflict-resolution approach.
"I believe if they can't gain the self-esteem and confidence and social skills, then it's impossible for them to learn anything else," Kepler said.
Kevin has been in Kepler's class for about nine months, and he is inching toward regaining trust in the education system, Kepler said.
Doggett said that the quality of a program makes a huge difference in a child's behavior. High-quality programs offer behaviorally challenged children alternative means of communicating. They also teach, model and reinforce positive behaviors and link children and families with other services when needed, Doggett said.
IN THE KNOW
Study highlights
• Eleven percent of teachers in Texas reported expelling at least one pre-kindergartner during the past year.
• Texas' pre-K expulsion rate ranks 23rd among the 40 states that fund pre-kindergarten.
• One of every 167 pre-K students in Texas is expelled.
• At least 240,000 children ages 3 and 4 are enrolled in a state or federally funded pre-K program in Texas.
I can't think of any schools today -- other than military preps -- that I would consider even remotely regimented.
i totally agree. i have seen people interacting with their kids out in public and am astounded at the latitude given small children. no wonder they grow up to think they are the center of the universe and NO ONE but NO ONE can tell them what to do. i think it is important that kids learn that they are a member of society, which may be a preschool class at that age, and what constitutes appropriate behavior in that setting. Having ones own way all of the time doesn't fit in with the group dynamic.
"Okay, I'll say it. Children belong at home with thier mothers!"
Ditto.
Agree 100%.
The best preschool for your child is HOME.
Very well said..
I have nothing to add..
My 3-year-old son makes letters and numbers with (among other things) a six-foot stuffed snake!
"How about adding a program to teach idiot parents how to raise a kid. These problems with kids are for NO other reason then bad parenting."
Can't get any plainer than that and you are EXACTLY right.
You are absolutely correct. After all, the kid must be placed in child care in order for the mother to be free to "self-actualize"! A minor obstacle, like a child, shouldn't interfere with any parent's desires!
I wonder how many children would be diagnosed as ADD if there were no drugs to sell to the parents?
I would yank my kids out of a class where these behavioral problems are tolerated.
Sure, as people grow up they should be exposed to the abnormal and the insane... just not in pre-school!
When I was directing a mother's morning preschool there was one little boy who was a terror. After many consultations with the parents, we suggested she visit the pediatrician I sent my children to. (He was on Fox news a month ago as one who advocates spanking when necessary. He is a father of 5, wonderful man) Well this mom went to him saying she believed her son was ADD, she had gotten this response from 2 other pediatricians. He asked her to first follow a schedule and if there were no improvements in his behavior then they would try something else. This schedule included 10 hours sleep at night, 1 -2 hour nap, scheduled meals and snacks, outside play, and limited t.v.(1 hour only a day). Also he gave her incentive charts to show how to use positive discipline. Within a month this child was behaving so much better and this pediatrician proved children are being labeled ADD too often. Sleep deprivation is the biggest problem and a lack of structure.
""This report tells us that in many states, we've failed our teachers.""
Yeah, it’s called liberal mentality when raising children. Trying to reason with young children is futile.
A good old fashioned spanking when they are bad, biting them back when they bite, washing their mouth out with soap when they curse and denying them things earns the kid some discipline. However, with that said, disciplining your child should never be out of anger.
How do people expect their children to behave when they don’t discipline them or teach them right from wrong?
My middle child stayed home with me, never went to preschool. She went to kindergarten and is far above the other students who went to pre-school in reading and in math. It depends on the home environment. If you expect the t.v. to babysit then yes maybe they need some structure, but I don't think they have to have preschool in order to make it in school.
My daughter didn't go to pre-school, and she entered kindergarten reading at a third grade level or above. She is NOT disadvantaged.
Good point!
See my above post. :) In fact, most public schools are having parents erroneously believe a child has to have preschool in order to survive. Why? Because the gov't. wants to have grounds to open more pre-K classes. I know I am sounding paranoid but I truly believe this is another area where they will try to branch out more and more over the next 10 years and working families will let it happen because it is free care for their kiddos. Once it becomes more prevalent it will be a way for the gov't schools to make it mandatory. Just like they did with kindergarten. Kindergarten used to be choice now it is a mandatory grade.
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