Much fanfare was recently made in Indianapolis about fully-funded full day kindergarten for next school year. It is political rhetoric. We presently receive $1030 per full day student for their additional one-half day of attendance. That amount will increase by $20 per student next year. Twenty bucks is not a deal maker or breaker for full-day kindergarten decisions!
For the state to fully-fund full day kindergarten in the same manner as grades 1-12 would require an additional $2000 per student. We presently ask parents to contribute toward our full-day program, based on a sliding scale. Free lunch students pay $10 per week, reduced are $20, and other students are $30. Even though any of those amounts are lower than day care for 1/2 day, we have had to go to small claims court to attempt collection for some uncollected fees. With current state along with parent payments, Wawasee runs an annual deficit for full-day kindergarten.
Although our extra 1/2-day program is a financial drain, no direct student instructional intervention is more effective than full-day kindergarten. Currently, almost half of Wawasee kindergarten students attend full-day. We are increasing full-day kindergarten classes by one at each elementary school. At that level, 75% of our kindergarten children will attend all day. The educational benefits will be great, though we will have to cover a larger financial drain. This is an investment that will pay large dividends for student learning now and in the future.
There are and will be some kindergarten parents who want a 1/2-day program. One AM kindergarten class at each elementary will remain to accommodate those requests.
No facility changes/projects will be needed to accommodate our additional full-day children.
Please feel free to contact me if you should have questions or comments about our full-day kindergarten program.
Dr. Edington
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2 comments:
My daughter currently attends all day kindergarten at NWE. I feel it has really given her a benefit. I have 2 older kids who attended less than full day and she is way ahead of where they were at the kindergarten level. Mrs. Kuhn is a great teacher and give my thanks to her. I also felt it was important that she received the special classes like music and art.
I would highly recommend all day kindergarten to anyone who might be on the fence with their decision.
I would love to do all day kindergarden, but as a stay at home mom, I can't afford to pay for public school.
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