My daughter didn't go to pre-school, and she entered kindergarten reading at a third grade level or above. She is NOT disadvantaged.
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.
I never said or implied that preschool has anything to do with how smart a kid is. However, preschoolers as a whole adapt to the school environment quicker than kids who were not preschooled. And often times, kids who have not been preschooled have not learned their alphabet and things like that. So they are behind the others.