Kindergarten Starts in Preschool
The Des Moines preschool program is a trampoline that gives kids a big jump on their educational development.
In each of the last three years, students who’d attended preschool scored higher in all six components of the Phonemic Awareness Profile [PAP], an instrument administered annually to district kindergartners. Those results are part of the mountain of evidence demonstrating that investment in quality preschool programs pays exponential dividends down the road in terms of a myriad of reduced social costs.
All of the DMPS preschool sites are staffed by certified teachers, the leading indicator of quality programming that holds to strict standards and is research-based. The Pre-K curriculum also features the availability of an array of support services ranging from home visits to family events to screening referrals.
Starting right from the Pre-K level and straight through high school graduation Des Moines schools are at the forefront of 21st century public education.
The district’s Welcome Center houses many resources for families interested in preschool and may be reached at 242-7588.