Thursday, June 18, 2015

Preschool or Pre-K – What’s the Difference?

If your child is turning 4 this year, you may be considering enrolling him in a preschool or pre-K program. With many programs available of both types, it's important to know the differences between the two, so that you can choose the program that will best meet the needs of you and your child.

There are many factors that highlight the difference between preschool and pre-K:
  • Curriculum: Preschool tends to be more play-based and is less regimented. Its purpose is to provide children with a classroom experience before they actually enter elementary school. A pre-K program typically has more educational standards, since the purpose of pre-K is to prepare kids for kindergarten. The kids will do more kindergarten-type work in class, and may be assigned light homework.
  • Age Range: Preschool typically allows children between the ages of 2 and 6. Some kids can attend up to 4 years of preschool. However Pre-K programs are aimed at kids aged 4 and 5 and last just one year prior to starting kindergarten.
  • Funding: In recent years there has been a big push for state funding of Pre-K programs while preschool programs remain strictly private. Around 70% of Pre-K programs on closely affiliated with an elementary school, which eases the transition for the child from Pre-K to kindergarten. Many of these schools do indeed receive state funding.

Are you interested in getting more information about our Montessori preschool programs? Contact us today to schedule a tour and we will be happy to answer any further questions you might have.
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Author: verified_user