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  1. #11
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    I don't get it. Personally, hate the term pre-K. It always seems to come from someone trying to be snooty and making attempting a distinction between the pre-school year before K and other pre-school years.

    I personally think of it has 3-year-old and 4-year-old pre-school. But I'm the odd-ball. There are some pre-schools around here that distinguish:

    Parents/Kid Day Out (1-2 years) - 1 day/week
    3 year old pre-school - 2 days
    4 year old pre-school - 3 or 4 days
    pre-k - 4 or 5 days

    Most commonly pre-k classes are made up of the summer b-day kids not starting K and fall b-day kids that have already had two years of pre-school.

  2. #12
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    I have often wondered this too. I'm glad to read the other posts and discover there is an actual difference in some areas because there is not in my town, not from what I've seen.

    Just to clarify, i am talking about part-day preschools for ages 2-4 in my town. Some of them call ALL the 4 year old classes pre-K, but no one ever offered a credible explanation to me about why, even when I pressed. Some of the preschools call the 4 year old class "the 4 year old class." Parents have the same variation, with some calling it preschool and some pre-K regardless of what the school itself calls it. From that, it seems to be a difference of style rather than curriculum to me.

    My daughters' public school has a public preschool that runs from 8:30-3:00 pm. From what I have seen, it is called preschool and pre-K about equally by teachers, parents, and in official documents.
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  3. #13
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    Here, Pre-K is a full-time public school option for 4yos available to those who qualify (on the basis of income or lack of English skills). Our school district is overwhelmingly lower income so most kids go to Pre-K. Those who do not qualify pay for preschool.
    ~C~

    Mama to a curious daughter born in May 2006 and a persistent son born in July 2008.

  4. #14
    fivi2 is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by MommyofAmaya View Post
    Here, Pre-K is a full-time public school option for 4yos available to those who qualify (on the basis of income or lack of English skills). Our school district is overwhelmingly lower income so most kids go to Pre-K. Those who do not qualify pay for preschool.


    I am in the same state (different town) and that is how I see it. Pre-k is the public school one (only for those who qualify) and preschool is any private option. Funny how the terms mean different things to all of us!

  5. #15
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    JBaxter is offline Pink Diamond level (15,000+ posts)
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    Here preschool is private preK is the public one for low income or IEP students. They are now required to take 10% of non low income students.
    Jeana, Momma to 4 fantastic sons

    Everything happens for a reason, sometimes the reason is you're stupid and make bad decisions

  6. #16
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    Here, we pay for preschool (ages 3 and under). Ages 4-5 go to Pre-K, which is public and free for everyone in Oklahoma. It is only the grade before K.

  7. #17
    o_mom is offline Pink Diamond level (15,000+ posts)
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    It varies between schools here. At ours we have preschool for 3 yos and pre-K for 4 yos. I think the only reason they use the term is so people know which class you are talking about.
    Mama to three boys ('03, '05, '07)

  8. #18
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    maestramommy is offline Pink Diamond level (15,000+ posts)
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    Around here the programs say Preschool for the 3s class (and 2s if they have it), and Pre-K for the 4s class. There are more academic readiness points on the list of things a kid will know by the end of the year. I think the Montessori was the only school that didn't say preschool or pre-K.
    Melinda
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  9. #19
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    In Texas... Pre-K is offered to 4 year olds at public school, it is daily, for half a day (like Kindergarten USED to be). It is not required. Neither is kinder, for that matter. It is open to low-income, ESL, military, foster kids... I think I am missing some qualifications. Basically, if your kid would qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, they would qualify for pre-k.
    How it compares to preschool is hard to say, because preschools vary so greatly (tuition and otherwise). I am not sure there are regulations stating what "preschool" must be, compared to MDO or daycare. DD went to preschool (all 3's in her class, but there was a 4-5 class too) at the local rec center and I was pleasantly surprised by the prereading skills she picked up. Her class was 3 hrs, twice a week, but again, that varies by school. Some preschools go as low as 18mo.
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