Proposition 82 promises to provide a free year of preschool for all 4-year-olds in California by adopting a new tax on the incomes of individuals making over $400,000 a year, and of couples earning over $800,000 a year. Children would be able to attend half-day programs five days a week during the school year.
Q: What if I don’t want to send my child to preschool?
A: The program would be voluntary, and no one would be forced to attend.
Q: Can I choose a preschool for my child?
A: Yes. Parents could select from participating private preschools or public preschool programs.
Q: So my preschool of choice might not participate?
A: That’s possible. Participating preschools would have to meet state standards for curriculum, teacher qualifications and staff salaries, among other things.
Q: What kind of curriculum?
A: That’s a very big question mark. Proposition 82 says that the state superintendent of public education would come up with curriculum standards based on what is developmentally and age-appropriate and the academic content that is taught in kindergarten through grade 3 classrooms.
Q: Will this go into effect in time for my 2-year-old to take advantage of it?
A: Probably not. It would be phased in, with free preschool guaranteed for children born on or after June 6, 2006. Some preschool programs in some areas may be available before the 2010 school year.
Q: I thought the state was broke. Who’s going to pay for this?
A: The state would impose a new tax of 1.7 percent on incomes over $400,000 a year for individuals, and over $800,000 for couples, beginning in 2007. For example, an individual with income of $700,000 a year would pay $5,100. The tax is estimated to affect less than 1 percent of the population, and is projected to raise $2.1 billion in the 2007-08 fiscal year, its first year.
Q: Is all that money going to be spent on preschool tuition?
A: No. Most of it would, with Proposition 82 providing an estimated $6,000 annually per child, but some money would also be used to purchase or build preschool facilities, and to provide financial aid for college courses needed to meet the higher educational requirements for teachers and aides.
Q: How much higher are the educational requirements for teachers?
A: By July 2016, a preschool teacher would have to have a bachelor’s degree and a new early childhood education credential, requiring about 5 years of college to complete. Currently, teachers in licensed preschools must have completed 12 units of early childhood education courses, or about one-half a year of college.
Q: I heard that most of the 4-year-old children in California already go to preschool and that Proposition 82 would only increase that number by a small percentage.
A: Opponents cite a RAND Corp. study that says about 65 percent of California’s preschool-age children already attend preschool, and Proposition 82 would only increase that number to 70 percent. Proponents say that the study is counting children in daycare and babysitting situations. According to California teachers cited by Proposition 82 supporters, only 20 percent of 4-year-olds are in quality preschools with credentialed teachers.
Q: We want to send our child to preschool, but we need full-time daycare while we’re at work. Will full-time daycare/preschool programs be funded by Proposition 82?
A: The text of Proposition 82 says only that preschool programs must be offered for at least three hours a day, 180 days a year. There are no provisions for “wrap-around” child care, although it’s hard to imagine that some participating preschool programs wouldn’t seize the opportunity to offer extended hours for a fee.
