College Prep in Early Childhood

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Disclaimer :: This post contains sponsored content written by Uplift Education.

The Educate Debate is an editorial series presented to you by Fort Worth Moms and our sponsors Great Hearts Arlington, Montessori School of Fort Worth, and Uplift Education. To read all the articles included in this series, please click HERE.

Did You Know?

The ability to reason is developed in a child by the age of five.

Youngsters who participate in a stimulating, attentive learning environment at an early age are more likely to stay in school, go to college, and land a high-paying job in which they are successful later in life.

Children from low-income families who attend preschool are 4.6 times more likely to get a college degree.

Children who attend quality early education programs earn up to $2,000 more a month as adults.

The pros and cons of different types of schooling options for kidsIn this educational environment, the idea of college preparatory often focuses only on teenagers. Typically, college-preparation means students have a strong academic foundation and have met certain testing benchmarks to be able to succeed in college-level classes. But for a student to be truly prepared for college, Uplift Education believes college-preparation begins as early as pre-kindergarten.

What to Expect

Uplift Education, the largest charter school network in North Texas, knows the importance of instilling a college-going mindset early in a child’s academic journey and helping that child develop skills and habits that will serve as a bedrock for higher learning. Uplift Education classrooms are decorated in college themes (usually based on the alma mater of the teacher), and students learn cheers and songs for that college. This helps young students get a small taste of college life and feel like they are part of a college atmosphere.

But the “spirit” part is just the beginning. In addition to the typical skills learned in early grades, such as sharing, waiting your turn, and self-control, Uplift nurtures characteristics such as curiosity, respect, and empathy, and teaches practical skills like time management, effective communication, and critical thinking. Uplift’s goal for the early years of a student’s academic life is to develop a love of learning.

Encourage college and higher education by enrolling kids at Uplift Education.All of this is accomplished through Uplift’s International Baccalaureate® (IB®) programs, which start in pre-kindergarten. This widely respected curriculum does more than other curricula. It develops inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who are motivated to succeed. Once Uplift students move to middle school, they are fully prepared for a challenging framework that encourages students to make practical connections between their studies and the real world. Uplift students then work toward earning an IB® high school diploma, which not only earns them college credit (a minimum of 24 hours), but also goes well beyond college-preparation. IB® students are not just prepared but prepared to flourish in college and career.

At most schools, IB® programs are typically reserved for select students based on GPA or other criteria, but at Uplift, ALL students are IB® students. Uplift believes quality, college-prep education should be available to every child, regardless of ZIP code, skin color, or household income. Uplift has a proven track record of success, as 100 percent of its graduates have been accepted to college for the past 18 years, and its graduates earn college degrees at four times the national average for low-income students. Uplift serves an 80 percent low-income student population, many of whom will be the first in their family to attend college and works diligently to close the opportunity gap for all children.

Uplift education While Uplift understands college might not be the right path for every student, it also understands that the life skills and social awareness learned through IB® will benefit every student regardless of life’s journey. It understands that it takes intelligence, backed by open-mindedness, critical thinking, and compassion to affect positive change in our world.

With a network of 43 tuition-free, college preparatory, public charter schools in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Uplift offers its students a bright future. Students can apply for the 2021-22 school year by visiting www.uplifteducation.org

Yasmin-uplift-educationYasmin Bhatia is the chief executive officer of Uplift Education. Yasmin joined Uplift Education in 2009 after having been a consultant at McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm, for nine years. Yasmin brings her experience in helping clients develop and execute strategies and building organizational capacity to Uplift during this critical period of growth for the organization. While at McKinsey, Yasmin served the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the City of Dallas, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Yasmin holds an undergraduate degree in finance and business honors from the University of Texas in Austin and an MBA from Stanford University. She and her husband reside in Dallas with their daughter, Isabel, and sons Ian and Mason.

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