More kindergartners than ever are spending the entire day in school.
Those few extra hours a day have exponential impacts on student achievement, but, unfortunately, not every kindergartner in Washington state has that option.
While more affluent districts have long offered full-time classes, some school districts with lower tax bases simply can’t afford it. That’s especially worrisome because research has shown that all-day kindergarten can help close the achievement gap between young children from minority and low-income families and their peers.
State lawmakers, under pressure to fully fund education, are taking steps in an effort to make full-day programs available throughout the state.
Yet the first priority will understandably be to fund schools with a high percentage of students who receive free or reduced-price lunches.
That means Coupeville schools likely won’t see funding from the state in the near future.
As a result, Coupeville school officials found another way to move ahead with full-day kindergarten next year.
It couldn’t happen too soon.
The National Education Association extols the many virtues of all-day programs.
Research shows that children in full-day kindergarten classes show greater reading and mathematics gains than those in half-day classes.
Five-year-olds are more than ready for the longer school day and do better in a setting that allows them to learn and explore activities in depth.
Full-day kindergarten provides an essential bridge between prekindergarten programs and more structure learning in first grade.
Teachers prefer full-day classes because they get to know their students better and the kids simply learn more.
Parents also prefer full-day kindergarten, according to the association.
Of course, all-day kindergarten is more convenient for many parents of young children, particularly those who work full time. It can be difficult to arrange transportation and childcare for little ones at odd hours of the day.
But of course, the top concern should be providing our children with a great education. And all-day kindergarten is a necessary step.
