The May 4 article, “Washington state preschool program meets standards,” brought an interesting subject to my attention. Although Washington does meet 9 out of the 10 benchmarks set by the National Institute for Early Education Research, there is still one requirement missing. Teachers are not required to have a bachelor’s degree to teach; they can get by with an associate’s degree.

The benchmark about teaching assistants having an associate’s degree is met by the state. Why shouldn’t the lead teacher have a bachelor’s degree? Without that, there is nothing to place the lead teacher above the assistant.

The bachelor’s degree certifies a certain level of education that an associate’s degree may not have. It will enable them to give the children a better education. It may even enable them to get out of their low-income situations.

Education starts in the early years, which makes preschool especially important. Preschool sets the stage for the rest of a child’s education. Teachers should have at least a bachelor’s degree to provide these children with the quality education they need to be successful.

Shere Graham

Spokane Valley