All-day kindergarten is worth considering
Staff writer
Gov. Sebelius' "Education First" plan includes state funding for all-day kindergarten in some schools. Districts with 60 percent of students eligible for free or reduced priced lunches will receive funding to support an all-day kindergarten program.
If the bill passes, schools would receive funding in 2005, and each year after the number of free or reduced priced lunches would drop by 12 percent until all Kansas schools were included.
The plan still means waiting until the 2007-08 school year for funding in Hillsboro if the district's percentages stay the same. Currently USD 410 provides 31 percent of students with free or reduced price lunches.
"It's going to happen," said HES principal Evan Yoder about all-day kindergarten. "It's just a matter of time."
Research shows that children participating in all-day kindergarten display more positive behavior in the classroom, demonstrate higher confidence levels, are more likely to show progress throughout elementary school, and less likely to be placed in special education.
With this in mind, it seems not only likely, but probable that we "will save the state from having to spend millions of additional dollars down the road on remedial education, juvenile justice, and other social programs" as Gov. Sebelius stated in her State of the Sate address.
Susan Judd, owner and instructor at Lucky Ducks, a pre-school and day-care in Hillsboro, really likes the idea of all-day kindergarten.
"It's been successful where it's been tried," said Judd, "and the kids who need it the most don't usually get the attention they need in half day programs."
As a teacher in the Olathe area for more than 10 years, Judd taught an all-day kindergarten for gifted children.
"Our program was especially useful for the children with special talents and gifts."
Some people argue that proponents of all-day kindergarten are more interested in free child care than increased learning opportunities. Yoder sees child care as a bonus to the positive environment the child would have at school.
"The fact is, in today's economy, most families have two working parents. All-day kindergarten would be a viable alternative to full-time child care," Yoder pointed out.
"I think it's a really wonderful thing," said Kenna Krause of Hillsboro. Krause is the kindergarten teacher in Centre USD 397 in Lost Springs, where they have had all-day kindergarten since 2002.
Krause says all the teachers present at the teachers' meetings who have changed from half to full-day programs have only positive things to say.
Centre schools funded the all-day kindergarten program with money spent on mid-day busing.
"We spent a considerable amount on mid-day busing," said Demitry Evancho, Centre superintendent of schools. "The money saved on busing was spent on instruction. It was a question of how do you increase a program that isn't funded by the state. With the savings in money and time on the buses, we felt it was fiscally sound, especially with the students' achievement."
Another reason for holding off on all-day kindergarten is that it would be too trying for the child.
Not so, says Evancho. "The kids are really ready for all day school at that age. At first, some parents were skeptical about the program, but after a short period of time, those fears were gone. Parent satisfaction is very high."
"All-day kindergarten really complimented our community needs," said Evancho, "without compromising the school."
Yoder says that when the time comes, the school will have to research how to make all-day kindergarten an effective experience.
"It would be nice to offer the option of either half-day or all-day kindergarten," said Yoder.
This concept is not new. Newton's recent all-day kindergarten program offers a half-day option. However, fewer than 10 students in the district are being released early.
"Early learning programs are among the best investments we can make in the future," said Sebelius.
