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With support from major foundations and political heavy hitters like Barack Obama, universal preschool is the next big thing in education reform. Indeed, it’s second only to universal health care on the liberal wish list. The goal is to offer publicly funded preschool—complete with credentialed teachers and and a standardized curriculum—to all four-year olds during the school year.

Advocates argue that public investments in early education will pay dividends over the long term. Critics point out that the evidence from states that have universal preschool programs shows that whatever benefits kids receive from those programs fade out by the fourth grade.

Since preschool attendance rates in states that have universal preschool are no higher than the national average, universal preschool wouldn’t even increase preschool attendance. It would, however, cost a lot of money, put lots of privately owned preschools out of business, and dramatically decrease early education options for parents.

So what do you think? Is expanding our failing K-12 system the best way to fix it?

This 10-minute documentary is hosted by reason‘s Nick Gillespie. It is produced by Paul Feine and Roger M. Richards.

http://freekeene.com/…

Liberty activists called WKBK’s Talkback this morning to discuss education, but could barely get a word in as Fred Parsells talked over top OTN’s Sam and I and then hung up on us. Talkback used to be a show where callers could have their questions heard and answered, but it seems our questions are too challenging or thought provoking, so we are now being marginalized. Perhaps we just need more callers. Can you help?

Please join us in calling the program with a pro-liberty viewpoint. Get details and discuss on this Free Keene forum thread.

Download the MP3.

Appears some of the Keene bureaucrats have nearly had enough of the liberty movement there. It’s going to get interesting in the next few years and the number of activists increase.