EarlyStories is always intrigued by stories about kindergarten, which often include phrases such as "Kindergarten is the new first-grade,'' No such phrase existed in an Omaha World-Herald News Service story, but the concept -- that kindergarten has become too academic -- was up for debate, as it surely should be.

The story noted that kindergarten teachers in the state of Nebraska are calling for more playtime in kindergarten, and noted that both teachers and children "feel intense pressure to perform and meet increasing standards and expectations.''

The story did not get inside a classroom to describe that pressure, but there is plenty of room for follow-up, since the story was based on the draft of a report written by the Nebraska Department of Education, with input from kindergarten teachers statewide and many others.

The story did include a concrete example:kindergarten students in Nebraska used to work on printing letters of the alphabet and their names, and now must work on words and sentences. They also are expected under new state standards to leave kindergarten reading fluently.

Are such goals realistic? Since standards vary from state to state, it's worth visiting kindergarten classrooms this year to get a sense of the expectations. Are students struggling to meet them? Are parents upset about what their children are being asked to learn? Do teachers believe the goals they must set are realistic? Finally, is there enough time for play, and does the play have a purpose?