Half-day kindergartens to cost districts

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Half-day kindergartens to cost districts

• Jennifer Mrozowski / The Detroit News

http//www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID/
20080908/SCHOOLS/809080374/1026
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State Funding Changes

• WESTLAND -- Hundreds of school districts across
  the state are wrestling with options for
  kindergarten following a recent change in the way
  the state funds those programs.
• The state aid act passed in August requires
  districts to be paid according to the length of
  time children are in class. While full-day
  kindergarten programs will see no change,
  half-day programs will receive only partial
  funding. Under the old formula, districts
  received full per-pupil allocation regardless of
  whether students attended school for a half-day
  or a full day. Facing the prospect of losing
  millions of dollars for half-day programs, many
  districts say they are being forced to choose
  between offering only full-day programs -- at
  greater expense -- or cutting other programs to
  keep half-day kindergarten.
• "It's another unfunded mandate," said
  Wayne-Westland Superintendent Greg Baracy. "It's
  hard to predict what we'll do, but some programs
  will be eliminated if we go full day across the
  board."

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Why?

• Some say the change will better prepare
  Michigan's youngest students for elementary
  school, but affected districts such as
  Wayne-Westland, Troy and Plymouth-Canton say the
  law will put an additional financial burden on
  them at a time of dwindling state resources.
• Liz Boyd, spokeswoman for Gov. Jennifer Granholm,
  said the state can't afford to give school
  districts full funding when they aren't operating
  full-time.
• "We want to make sure young children are getting
  absolutely the best opportunity for learning, and
  we also want to make certain that if we are
  providing funding for their education that the
  education is being offered," Boyd said.
• The law alters the funding formula in phases
  through 2012, giving districts time to adjust,
  she said.
• In half-day kindergarten, students attend class
  for half the school day or on alternating days.
  In full-day programs, they generally attend for
  the same number of hours as elementary students,
  five days a week

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Parents have mixed feelings

• Parents are divided on whether their children
  will benefit if districts choose to make all
  programs full-day, and some say research clouds
  the debate.
• Studies have shown that students who attend
  full-day kindergarten, particularly in urban
  districts, are less likely to repeat a grade
  later and have higher literacy rates than peers
  in half-day programs.
• But some parents, especially those who can afford
  to stay home with their children, argue they can
  provide as good an education to their children
  and avoid burning them out with structured
  programs. They cite studies showing the benefits
  of all-day kindergarten are erased by second or
  third grade.
• Other parents worry the legislation is a
  back-door way of mandating all-day kindergarten.
• Jennifer Burke, a Troy parent, fears all-day
  classes may force too much structured schooling
  on children who aren't developmentally ready.
• "From a parent's perspective, that is an awful
  lot to expect from a 4-year-old or 5-year-old,"
  she said. "I feel this is taking the choice away
  from the parent. We're their first teachers and
  educators, and we know them best."

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The Economics
Other things
State Payment

• We see the state payment in red.

• If state requires FULL K, then number of Full
  Days must double.

• If the district decides to go to FULL K, Other
  things must fall.

• If the district stays at ½ K, payment will fall.
  

K (½)
K (1)
Full Days of Kindergarten