Latino Access to Preschool Stalls - Declining State Capacity and Demographic Change

Abstract

Expanding access to preschool has been one of the most effective policy initiatives by state and federal governments over the past generation. Studies show quality preschools serving children from poor families lift early learning. Families and government spend about $47 billion yearly on childcare and preschool. Public spending remains focused on youngsters from low-income households. The Great Recession and competing budget priorities such as health care and K-12 education have undercut government's capacity to expand access to and lift the quality of preschools in California and the nation. Unless employment returns to pre-recession levels, state capacity will remain diminished. As state capacity to enrich early learning falters, growth in Latino child populations continues to climb. From 2005 to 2010, the number of Latino children under 18 years of age grew over 3% annually.

The role of access to Head Start and quality ratings for Spanish-Speaking Dual Language Learners’ (DLLs) participation in early childhood education

“…We draw upon two non-mutually exclusive strands in the research on Spanish-speaking DLLs and early childhood programs. The first investigates participation patterns of DLLs in ECE programs (Buysse et al, 2013; Espinosa et al, 2013; Greenberg & Kahn, 2012; Laughlin, 2013; Vesely, 2013; Winsler, Robinson, & Thibodeaux, 2013), and the second looks at the quality of programs attended (Espinosa et al, 2013; Fuller & Kim, 2011). Research in both of these areas is mixed, and we seek to contribute to the two complementary bodies of literature as we utilize nationally representative Head Start data to examine Spanish-speaking DLLs’ participation rates and the quality of ECE centers attended.…”

“…Beltrán (2011) reported that less than half (48%) of Latino 4-year-olds attend preschool programs, compared with 70% of white children and 69% of black children in the same age group. Furthermore, there is research to suggest that the preschool enrollment rates of Latinos decreased between 2005 and 2009, breaking a steady upward trend that had been climbing since the 1980s, whereas enrollment rates for black and white children remained steady during this time period (Fuller & Kim, 2011). …”

“…Some evidence indicates that low-income, Hispanic DLL families have less access to quality ECE and attend programs of inferior quality than other subgroups (Espinosa, 2013; Fuller & Kim, 2011). Fuller and Kim (2011), for example, examined 615 preschools in California and determined differences in the quality of ECE experiences between children from immigrant and non-immigrant families. Non-immigrant children participated in preschool programs rated higher in quality across all domains measured; however, the difference between the two subgroups in each domain was only a fraction of one standard deviation difference.…”

Complex inequality: A contextual parenting framework for Latino infants

“…Education plays a large role in a family's ability to achieve upward economic mobility (Haskins, Holzer, & Lerman, 2009) and for young children access to early education is critical for supporting social, emotional, and cognitive development (Barnett, 2002). Beginning in preschool, disparities emerge in both enrollment and quality indicators of education for Latino children (Fuller & Kim, 2011a, 2011b). In 2005, 53% of Latino 4 year olds were enrolled in preschool (Fuller & Kim, 2011a).…”

“…Significant evidence exists supporting the alarming extent to which, broadly, Latino children are confronted with social disparities as they grow and develop, including high rates of poverty (Lopez & Velasco, 2011), poor access to medical care (Flores & Tomany-Korman, 2008), disparate health outcomes (Vega, Rodriguez, & Gruskin, 2009), and significant educational disparities (Fuller & Kim, 2011b). However, a large portion of what we know about these disparities is based on research lacking in information about within group differences.…”