"Pre-K" vs. "Preschool"
The terms preschool and pre-kindergarten or pre-k are often used interchangeably, and states around the nation use differing terms to identify their programs. For example, California and New Jersey both use preschool and New York and Texas use pre-k. Wisconsin uses 4-k.
However, preschool and pre-k do not, in fact, denote the same type of program. Pre-k is more readily associated with the K-12 system and is clearly defined as a significant year or two of learning that provides three- and four-year-old children with the skills necessary to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. Preschool is a more general term used to refer to a variety of early care and education programs including pre-k, childcare, nursery school, and even "mothers-day-out" programs which serve children of various ages on numerous possible schedules.
Preschool
Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online defines preschool as "the period in a child's life from infancy to the age of five or six that ordinarily precedes attendance at elementary school." Preschool implies a program that happens before a child begins his or her schooling and that may or may not be a part of the education continuum. Preschool programs can be state or privately funded and serve children from birth to age five or six.
Pre-Kindergarten
The term pre-k is defined by Merriam-Webster Collegiate Edition Online as "a class or program preceding kindergarten for children usually from three to four years old." The term, pre-k, articulates a direct connection to the K-12 system and more accurately evokes the academic and social learning that occurs during the first years of school.
Important Aspects of High-Quality Pre-K
- Well Educated Teachers
Research shows that pre-k teachers who have bachelor's degrees with specialized training in early childhood development provide the best preparation for their students' advancement to the next level.
- Low Teacher-Child Ratios
Individual attention is important for young children. Pre-k classrooms need to have no more than 10 children per adult-typically, one teacher and one instructional aide-for a total of no more than 20 children per classroom.
- Family Involvement in the classroom
High-quality pre-k programs involve and inform parents, incorporating them into the overall program and communicating with them about their children's progress and development on a regular basis.
Read our What is High Quality? fact sheet for more details
Facts about High-Quality Pre-K
- The most important brain development occurs before age five.
- Children in pre-k show significant improvements in the development of social skills such as following directions, joining in activities, waiting turns, problem solving and relating to teachers and parents.
- Children who attend pre-k are more likely to graduate from high school.
Read our Benefits of High-Quality Pre-K fact sheet for more details
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