First Steps survey assesses strengths, weaknesses
Rochester Post Bulletin Editorial
Tue, May 2, 2006
Research for the Rochester Area Foundation's First Steps program
established an initial survey of the quality of early childhood
education in Rochester. It is an important mark from which progress can
be measured.
The work was led by Richard Chase of Wilder Research in St. Paul. It
found some good things and some problems with the quality of the learning
environments for kids 5 year old and younger in Rochester.
The intent behind First Steps is to improve the readiness of children
for kindergarten. This applies to families of all incomes, with
different initiatives for different groups. The emphasis of the
Wilder research was primarily directed toward low-income families,
with 210 interviews in low income households (200 percent of poverty
or below) but also interviewed were 100 families with incomes above
that same line.
To improve readiness for school, First Steps will work to improve
the quality of early childhood education that children receive from
their caregivers -- either family, friends, neighbors or day-care
facilities.
To measure any improvement in the earliest of educational settings --
typically found in family homes or those of friends or neighbors --
First Steps had to establish a place to measure from. The Wilder
report established such a baseline.
In a nutshell, the most positive finding in the report was that
there is no widespread family dysfunction in the Rochester community.
Generally, children are being raised in loving homes with adequate
emotional support. The children play outside and with others. This
seems simple enough, but the research cites it as net contributor
to a good environment for children. Parents say their children are
having "good experiences."
So, things in Rochester are good, but there are gaps. Weak English
language skills in some homes and in caregiving settings was the
primary common problem. Many of the parents also felt a troubling
feeling of "hopelessness." Remember, this feeling surely transfers
to the learning ability of children in that setting.
In only eight of 21 licensed child-care centers did a majority of
the staff have four-year degrees or higher. There was a mix of some
formal training in the facilities, but the report found a need for
more.
The need for more and better training of caregivers was the common
thread of concern in the report. This will be the challenge of
First Steps -- to assist licensed centers get more skilled staff,
to help the informal caregiving networks become more knowledgeable
and skilled at readying children for kindergarten. Now, there is a
place to start.
In 2007 and 2010, the Wilder Research team will be back in Rochester
to conduct similar follow-up surveys. The results will be measured
against what was found this year.
Ultimately, the design is to help children become more ready for
kindergarten. The measurement for this standard is already being done
by the Rochester school district. Kindergarten children are given
fall assessment tests. These will be the acid determinant regarding
the efforts to improve early childhood education has been paying off.
Can they be improved? Sure.
Outside of the city's public school system, the First Steps program
is the most important education effort in Rochester. Through it,
the Rochester Area Foundation has gone after a problem that, if
overcome, will have measurable benefits in the lives of families
across the city.
