Research On The History Of U.S. Federal Intervention In Preschool Education

Education is the foundation of a nation. Preschool education is the beginning of the schooling system, and also an important component in education. Preschool education is not only related to individual development and well-being, but also matters more to the improvement of the national quality and social sustainable development. Among all levels of education, preschool education is a quasi-public products which has the strongest publicity and the most extensive social benefit area. Therefore, government bears an unshirkable responsibility in using financial funds to support, guide, regulate, and manage preschool education.The Chinese government has been actively exploring reform and development in this area. However, we still continue to confront new problems and challenges. This year, The National Education Reform and Development Program for Medium and Long Term (2010-2020)(The Program), which is about to be issued soon, provides an explicit concept and a definite goal on the development of preschool education. It can be expected that under the vigorously promote and support of our Party and government, our national preschool education will achieve a rapid development. Certainly, as a strategic programmatic document, the Program cannot specifically state detailed provisions of the realization path. Therefore, it is the great historical mission of the preschool educators'and the theorists'. We can learn from other countries'experiences. Delightedly, we can see that as one of the fully developed countries in education and economy, the United States has achieved great success in the federal intervention in preschool education during the 20th century, which can be regarded as the model of government intervention in the area.Applying documentation method, comprehensive analysis and comparative method, this thesis has studied systematically the course of the federal government intervention in preschool education in the 20th century. Having analyzed different social background and intervention measures, I divide the course into three stages according to the intensity of the intervention. The three stages are as follows:The first stage from the early 1900s to the late 1950s is the initial stage of the federal intervention to the preschool education. During this period, the federal government supported the establishment and the development of the nursery school and public kindergarten. It also provided appropriation to establish emergency nursery schools and The La Hanmu Child Care Centers. Through these measures, the federal government realized initial intervention to preschool education.The second stage is during the 1960s to 1970s. In this period, the federal intervention in preschool education became stronger and stronger. The federal government started the Head Start program, made laws for special preschool education, did research in the curriculum model and promoted the professionalization of the early childhood teachers. By these actions, the federal government strengthened the intervention. The third period is the further upgrading stage of the federal intervention. It starts from the 1980s. The federal government achieves the overall expansion of the intervention in preschool education through a multi-dimensional and three-dimensional means, such as legislation, funding, promoting curriculum reform, promoting the teachers'professional development, etc.Throughout the 20th century, the federal government intervention in pre-school education develops for nearly a century. Although the intervention has some deficiencies, for example the overlapping of the aid projects, the serious imbalance in the quality of the development and the uneven access of the teacher, the federal intervention has achieved great success. It has enlarged the scale of preschool education and enriched the curriculum model. It has helped the faculty develop from amateur to profession. Moreover, the intervention has also provided a broad spectrum educational opportunities instead of a point position. The U.S government has established its leading role by legislation and input, stimulated each power parties by decentralization and balance, and kept to the fair bottom line by helping the weak and poor. The experience of the U.S. is a valuable inspiration for our Party and government in strengthen the management and promotion of the preschool education.