❓ Mr. McGowan questions the lack of funding for pre-kindergarten programs in WA schools. The government acknowledges the importance of early intervention, highlighting existing kindergarten funding and ongoing exploration of early childhood development through initiatives like Child and Parent Centres.
AnsweredQoN 1658Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the absence of funding for schools, both government and non-government, who wish to run school-based programs for students of pre-kindergarten age, and ask: (a) what is the Government’s position on funding for schools who wish to run pre-kindergarten programs; (b) has the either the Minister, the Department of Education or the Department of Educational Services examined the possibility of providing funding for these programs; (c) if yes to (b), what research or planning has taken place; (d) if not to (b), is the Minister aware of the research (Heckman 2013, Schiller 1989, Paschal 2012, Mustard 2008) untaken which demonstrates the critical importance of early childhood programs at these ages in a child’s development; and (e) are there any plans in the future to examine the possibility of providing funding for these programs?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 February 2014
Responded by
Minister representing the Minister for Education
Response time
75 days
(a) State Government funds are not appropriated for pre-Kindergarten provision in schools or community kindergartens. The State Government directs funding to assist schools to provide one year of pre-compulsory education, that is, Kindergarten. Some pre-kindergarten programs are implemented by other government agencies.
All four-year-old children (defined as those who reach four years of age on or before 30 June) are legally entitled to enrol in Kindergarten in a public school, free of compulsory charges. The State also funds an average of 75 per cent of the cost of Kindergarten provision in non-government schools. This level of State funding for preschool provision is higher than any other State or Territory in Australia and has been in place since 1995.
(b)-(d) Exploration of issues, including research, relating to early intervention in Western Australian public schools is ongoing. WA makes use of extensive research which has been undertaken in this area both nationally and internationally, including Heckman (2013), Schiller (1989), Pascal (2012) and Mustard (2008). Some of this is documented in a literature review of research prepared by Edith Cowan University and formed the basis of the establishment of the 16 Child and Parent Centres, to which the State Government has committed $48.7 million.
The literature review is available on the Department of Education's website by following links to 'Child and Parent Centres'.
(e) While there is no specific plan at this stage to fund pre-kindergarten programs in schools, future planning and program funding will be informed by the external evaluation of the Child and Parent Centre initiative which will commence in 2015.
All four-year-old children (defined as those who reach four years of age on or before 30 June) are legally entitled to enrol in Kindergarten in a public school, free of compulsory charges. The State also funds an average of 75 per cent of the cost of Kindergarten provision in non-government schools. This level of State funding for preschool provision is higher than any other State or Territory in Australia and has been in place since 1995.
(b)-(d) Exploration of issues, including research, relating to early intervention in Western Australian public schools is ongoing. WA makes use of extensive research which has been undertaken in this area both nationally and internationally, including Heckman (2013), Schiller (1989), Pascal (2012) and Mustard (2008). Some of this is documented in a literature review of research prepared by Edith Cowan University and formed the basis of the establishment of the 16 Child and Parent Centres, to which the State Government has committed $48.7 million.
The literature review is available on the Department of Education's website by following links to 'Child and Parent Centres'.
(e) While there is no specific plan at this stage to fund pre-kindergarten programs in schools, future planning and program funding will be informed by the external evaluation of the Child and Parent Centre initiative which will commence in 2015.
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