Christian schools have a greater responsibility to meet or exceed federal and state requirements as well as professional best practices. Since we affirm that everything we have is owned by God, we can trust Him to both provide for our schools and move individual and corporate resources to accomplish His purposes. Thus, our fiscal practices must be open to scrutiny,
and our integrity in relationships guided by love and trust. Resources to guide your school in implementing or retooling your mission-driven fund development program will be provided in future issues of LLU. Our goal is to assist you in establishing a vibrant fund development program that is effective, transparent, accountable, and pleasing to God.
Early Education in the National Spotlight D. Merle Skinner, EdD
Early education has moved from being controversial in its own infancy to being widely accepted, from being only for needy families to being a privilege and blessing. It is now a top priority for families wanting to find the right early education program for their children. Although early education was slow to develop in the Christian school community, it is now a well-established component in many of our Christian schools and centers. As the movement has matured, so have the services and the desire for those services to honor Christ with a high level of quality.
A Changing Landscape
Why are so many Christian early education policy gurus very concerned as they watch the current and rapidly changing landscape? There is a much bigger picture at stake in this story—bigger than kids, families, and politicians. The landscape of early education is changing rapidly. Not all of this change is in favor of families who would desire distinctly Christian services.
Those in the public sector continue to become more interested in the early education market. A broader segment of public officials are seeing early education as valuable and deserving of additional funding. Poorly run centers get attention when things go wrong. Declining numbers of children in some areas have pushed public school educators to become involved in early education. Displaced teachers and unions looking to expand membership are examining the area of early education for opportunities. Younger parents have begun to view early education as an entitlement, not just something they want to work hard to provide for their children.
As these change agents (such as public funding of early education, a desire to upgrade the quality of programs, or the entrance of the market of a larger player such as a public school system or a larger provider) emerge in local communities, some Christian centers that once had long waiting lists are finding themselves out of business due to these changes.
The Problem
What’s not to agree with the ideal of providing pre-K for all? If one has not been a part of understanding and experiencing quality early education, it sounds like more funding would be a better thing—but there are significant complications.
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Aside from the question of who foots the bill, funding also often comes with strings—at worst, it’s a poison pill. It is always cleaner if funds for education can be given to parents to be used at the program of their choice; however, this is not a popular model with many government agencies. The Child Care and Development Block Grant (referenced in a previous issue of LLU) allows for some funding to be governed by parental choice. It is, however, an ongoing fight to keep states from imposing limitations and participation in the funding options. This severely restricts a family’s access to private Christian early education.
Accepting state and federal funding is one of the most hotly debated policy issues on a variety of levels in the private school sector. It is a consideration that each ministry needs to evaluate carefully. Why not just let our churches and parents pay for our early education services and let the public sector have its free services? Some Christian early education centers are thriving and have long waiting lists. Why consider funding if classrooms are full? Although that model will work for a period of time, there are several longer term considerations which should not be ignored or taken lightly.
1. It is tough to compete with free. Regardless of what our parents say now, paying for services despite a free early education program option down the street may not be an attractive long-term option. This is one of the most common anecdotal scenarios of concern.
2. Do early education programs have a calling to serve families who cannot afford full pricing? This question should be asked even if there are enough resources for paying families to fill our programs.
3. Do early educators want to see the private early education sector begin to reflect the rest of the K–12 sector, in which private schools hold 9–11% of the market? In the current early education market, the private sector serves the vast majority of early education students.
4. How will teachers respond when public programs across town offer significantly improved benefits and wages?
5. Do Christian early education programs have an obligation to protect an environment that allows Christian ministries to serve the families and communities beyond the program’s immediate scope?
© 2016 by the Association of Christian Schools International
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