PANEL URGES STATE-FUNDED PRESCHOOLS; PLAN OFFERS STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL ACCESS.

Byline: Sonia Giordani Daily News Staff Writer

Offering guidelines to raise the standards of California preschool programs and make them more accessible to low-income children, the state Department of Education on Thursday released its report on implementing a universal preschool program.

The report recommends that state and federal legislatures allocate funding to phase in a publicly supported preschool program over the next 10 years and ensure that California's 1.12 million 3- and 4-year-olds have access, regardless of their families' means.

``What we know is that preschool programs have the greatest effect among children from low-income families,'' said Charles Weis, co-chairman of the Universal Preschool Task Force and Ventura County's Superintendent of Schools.

``These kinds of programs provide the kind of experience they might not have had access to otherwise - access to audio tapes, videotapes, things they can see, things they can play with and manipulate, an introduction to letters and numbers,'' he said.

In Ventura County, Weis has promoted preschool programs for children as vital in preparing for kindergarten and elementary school.

Weis, a nationally recognized research leader in child care and development, has authored several informational brochures that are circulating in counties throughout the state.

According to the 1990 U.S. Census, Ventura County had 21,542 children ages 3 and 4, or about 3 percent of the population.

``In Ventura County, the situation is really not that different from other parts of the state. If parents were to try to enroll every 3- and 4-year-old in preschool programs today, we would not have nearly as many spaces as we would need,'' he said.

Weis added that California would follow Georgia, which has 85 percent of its 3- and 4-year-olds in preschool, and New York, which is considering legislation.

In November, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin appointed a 53-member task force composed of parents, early childhood educators, K-12 administrators, teachers, business people and legislators.

Looking at the feasibility of making preschool universally available, although not necessarily mandatory, to children throughout the state, the task force report offered guidelines for the Legislature to implement such a program.

``The first step now is for the Legislature to commit funds to the program. Then we can work out the logistics and proceed with a master plan,'' Weis said.

The report recommends that the state act immediately to get qualified teachers and facilities and begin to establish the program's high standards.

``One of the problems with preschool programs now is that their accessibility really varies according to where you live. There are some opportunities for preschools but more for child care situations that don't always promote learning,'' said Emily Nahat, education program consultant with the state Department of Education.

``The focus now is on improving the availability, improving the standards and emphasizing the child's readiness to enter kindergarten,'' she said.

Nahat estimated that funding could cost the state about $5 billion annually. That would significantly increase the state's budget for kindergarten through 12th-grade education, which is more than $30.8 billion.

``Not all of that would be in new costs,'' she said. ``That includes programs that are currently being funded by the state. However, it is considerably more because we would essentially be funding two entirely new grade levels.''