VPK program in Tampa (renting, preschool, taxes)

[Sunscape]

Recently somebody in this forum mentioned his interest in this program, for his child. Here's an article from Sunday's paper about the program.

Preschool scrutiny finds many don't measure up

[housingcrashsurvivor]

If they are going to test it, they first need to rename it: preschool?

Just read the article you posted. I'm not convinced as to direct social benefit of administering standardized tests to determine what a four year old learned in the public school system. It sounds like a taxpayer sponsored baby sitting service. Perhaps the benefit to society is in providing opportunity for those mothers to work and pay their taxes. Also it gives the testing company some work and gives the teachers another task to fill in their day.

What at first glance seems the opposite end of the spectrum from the fruitful testing of the knowledge of 4 year olds, I just learned from a news broadcast yesterday about Unschooling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Haven't had time to consider that issue enough to comment much on it, however. My initial reaction was to wonder if such parenting would produce more innovative kids who might be very good with invention, being unconstrained from formal learning, but less rocket scientists having less formal learning? I'd have to read the studies.

I enjoyed school and I'll probably continue my formal education until I am unable, so I'm glad my parents didn't opt to unschool me. Also I'm glad I was not tested at four or five years old to have to prove what I have learned. I don't test so well now, probably I'd have been placed in remedial school then.

Testing preschoolers reminds me of annual evaluations endured in the corporate world. I suspect they are just as productive.