Day care does not equal preschool. There is a big difference, the profit model versus the services model. There are a great many quality day cares but, a day care is not a preschool for one major reason, accountability. As a Head Start teacher I am accountable to congress, as a day care provider I am accountable only to the parent.
The New York Times published an article on a study that links time spent by young children in day care to disruptive behavior in 6th grade. I can totally see the validity in my personal experience. However, I came across a blog that tried to use the report to argue against universal preschool. I couldn’t believe it. I guess the part that really made me mad is that the blogger equated the two, preschool and day care. I worked in a day care for two weeks. I couldn’t stand it, there was no organization, no curriculum, the ratio was 1 teacher to 12 kids which became 1 – 23. After the 24th kid, then they might pull someone in to help, if there was someone available. I challenge anyone to come to my class and tell me it is like a day care. There is too much learning going on.