For preschool programs, does more costly mean better?
Friday, October 20, 2006

By JOSEPH AX
STAFF WRITER NorthNewJersey.com

Zohra Aslam points at the colorful calendar, with 12 sets of eager 4-year-old eyes watching her intently.

"Today is Wednesday," the teacher says. "Yesterday was what day?" Calls of "Thursday" pepper the room, until one young girl, a triumphant note in her voice, shouts out, "Tuesday!" Ms. Aslam smiles her approval; the day's learning has begun.

At the Elisabeth Morrow School in Englewood, preschool students attend one of the most exclusive programs in Bergen County, where there are two certified teachers in every classroom and amenities such as a library designed specifically for preschool children are part of the package. But the perks come at a cost: parents pay between $10,000 and $17,000 per school year, depending on whether their children go for half a day or for the full eight hours.

Preschool programs increase academic performance -- that much we know after numerous studies on the subject. Indeed, that's why the federally funded Head Start program is considered such a success. But it's harder to say whether elite schools like Elisabeth Morrow offer a major upgrade over less expensive options. Are the benefits worth the price of admission?

Cost vs. quality

"I personally feel what we have to offer is the optimal situation for children," says Beth Brennan, the director of early childhood programs at Elisabeth Morrow. "The resources we have, you can't compare them to other schools."

The classes for 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds have between 12 and 14 children, and each classroom has two full-time certified teachers, many with master's degrees. The school offers a library designed specifically for pre-kindergarten students and a Spanish teacher, among other things.

W. Steven Barnett, the director of the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University, says that a good program requires a certain amount of money, though it isn't always the case that high costs equal high quality. As a general rule, preschool teachers earn less than teachers for kindergarten through 12th grade. The more competitive salaries a preschool can offer, the better chance it has of attracting properly trained teachers with the skills to handle preschoolers.

State-funded preschools for underprivileged children cost $12,000 per child per school year, according to Ellen Frede, the co-director of NIEER and the former director of the state Office of Early Childhood Education.

"I think the base for high-quality preschool is $10,000-$12,000, and that's not year-round," she says. "I don't think that preschool should be less expensive than other forms of school. People spend $50,000 a year for college. When is it more important to make sure your child has really good teachers?"

And when it comes to private programs, the cost of schooling often must be passed onto the consumer. Frede acknowledges that some pricey programs may not provide a major benefit over slightly less expensive alternatives. But, she says, the majority of programs do not have enough funding.

Affordable choices

Some education professionals, however, insist that parents can find satisfactory alternatives without breaking the bank. Linda Kriegel is the executive director of Bergen County's Office for Children, which refers approximately 125 low-income families every month to preschool programs supported by federal and state funds. She knows that tuition costs can limit the choices, particularly for working families, but she insists that there are plenty of afford- able preschool programs that are just as successful as their more costly brethren.

"I don't believe there is a 100 percent correlation between cost and quality," she says. "Parents need to look at a lot of things, and cost is just one of those things." Other factors include the tenure of the teachers and whether the school has a good reputation. One starting place for parents is the National Association for the Education of Young Children, which accredits preschools based on certain criteria.

In New Jersey, children from impoverished families can attend Head Start or state-administered programs. Upper-class children, meanwhile, choose from a wide array of private programs, some of which cost $10,000 or more for a full year. Middle-class working families who don't qualify for assistance but can't afford the elite schools are at a disadvantage.

"The families that really get pinched here are families with modest incomes where both parents work," Barnett says.

There are options, however. In addition to less expensive programs, there are preschools that are subsidized by religious organizations, even if they are nonsectarian. One such program is the Bogart Memorial Nursery School in Bogota, where a full day of preschool from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. costs $610 a month, or $5,490 for the school year.

"I feel very strongly that it is the staff that makes the quality of the educational experience," says Ann Lepore-Timpone, the director for 14 years. The teachers on staff have all worked at Bogart for at least 10 years.

"You have to be careful," Lepore-Timpone says of parents in search of a suitable preschool. "You have to be comfortable. But I think there are plenty of good preschools where you don't have to spend a fortune."

Comment: I think this says it all.