Children from families earning low or moderate incomes are not receiving a preschool education equitable to that of their wealthier peers, according to a study released Friday.
The study, conducted by Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, evaluated the cost and quality of full-daycare and education of children aged two through five.
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) appeared with David Driscoll, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Education, at the Castle Square Childcare Development Center in the South End to discuss the results with experts.
“There’s a great deal that can be done,” said Kennedy, who won the attention of the Castle Hill preschoolers by offering cookies to the entire class.
Kennedy went on to discuss legislation that will require teachers to be “well skilled, highly trained individuals.”
The biggest deficiencies appeared in the areas of cognitive and language stimulation as well as social interaction, said Nancy Marshall, co-director of the study.
Marshall said daycare centers serving lower-income families are “least likely to provide language and cognitive stimulation … [These] are essential to the development of social skills in later life.”
Driscoll said the study’s results prove “the crucial difference is made in children at the earliest ages.”
According to Cindy Creps, co-director of the study, teachers with the highest level of education tend to be the most effective in the classroom. They are also paid a higher salary.
The study found 10 percent of the staff at centers serving low-income families have a two-year college degree or more, compared with 61 percent of staff at centers serving higher-earning families. Centers providing higher quality care have a lower student-to-teacher ratio and rely more on teachers than assistants.
While many daycare providers did not meet the study’s criteria to earn a “good” benchmark, public officials praised the positive points, noting the care and education of preschoolers was deemed comparable to or better than similar schools in other states.
Office of Childcare Services Commissioner Ardith Wieworka said the Commonwealth has made “great strides” in preschool education and childcare by enforcing strict standards and rewarding care providers who offer high quality care.
“Education starts well before kindergarten,” Wieworka said. “We will continue to raise the bar.”
Kathy Kelley, representing Boston teachers for the Massachusetts Federation of Teachers, was thrilled by the attention given to the study.
“The more spotlight on the issue, the better,” said Kelley, who said she is “passionate about this because this tells us the earlier we get our children stimulated, the better off they are.”
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