With the revised Minnesota early childhood education standards in place to "bring pre-K standards in line with Minnesota's Academic Standards for K-12 education," can state mandates be far behind? We can debate the value of K-12 "systems accountability" tools like standardized testing, five-star report cards, Adequate Yearly Progress, and "failing schools" lists, but wait until the state either mandates age 0-5 education programs ("free" from the $tate of Minne$ota, of course) or holds stay-at-home parents accountable to these standards. Remember the "Their Minds Are in Our Hands" brochure from the old Department of Children, Families, and Learning? If someday early childhood education programs, standards, and assessments are required by law, it's going to take an enlarged education bureaucracy to enforce compliance, and billions of dollars in additional funding for the Department of Education and early childhood education providers. Then the little future taxpayers' minds will truly be in their hands from cradle to grave -- and all that will be left for us parents is to "breed 'em and feed 'em."
