Government Funding For Childcare

David Diaz

A bill that passed the house last week aimed to raise the standards of education from birth until the age of 5, according to “Initiative Focuses on Early Learning Programs” by Sam Dillon. Dillon informs the reader of the need for government funded early childcare programs and the current state of early childcare. However, Dillon doesn’t mention anything about the impact this will have on education, particularly higher education.

Dillon describes the current early childcare system as a group of daycares funded by private organizations, churches, and in some cases the local or federal government. He continues to say that these care programs vary between a well planned schedule of activities and no group activities of any kind. Obviously, the children who attend the better daycare facilities will be better prepared for kindergarten than those who don’t. Also, daycares are in great demand currently because in many families both parents have jobs. Many people are demanding government-funded and government regulated day care programs for their young children while they are at work. There is a great demand for daycares in this country, but how will daycares affect education in general.

Although daycares may better prepare some children for kindergarten and allow children to learn how to deal with being away from their parents, they don’t affect higher education. According to Dillon, many people complain that children entering kindergarten aren’t on the same level, but one must remember that kindergarten serves as a method for equally preparing children for school. Kindergarten specifically plays this role because it is the minimum age when all children can begin to acquire the skills to be successful in school. Also, one must remember that accomplishments and grades in elementary school no longer matter at the high school level. Likewise, high school grades don’t matter at the college level. Because kindergarten serves as a way to equally prepare all students for school, improving young childcare, will have no affect for students performing at the high school or college level. Improving childcare simply serves as a way to provide much needed childcare to working parents.

Dillon introduces a bill that was passed by the House of Representatives in congress that includes a section in which the government will provide funding for early childcare. Although there is a great need for government funded young childcare, due to the recent increase in both parents working, young childcare will not have any substantial affects on student performance in high school or in college.