All-day kindergarten expands
But infusion of money may not meet demand
"I think it's the most marvelous thing I've been able to be involved in in the schools, to watch this profound improvement in a select number of kids," said Rob Averett, director of elementary school services and Title I federal funds in Granite School District. "They're so (far) ahead of their peers. ... It's heartening."
About 150 Granite District kindergartners in six schools are in an all-day kindergarten pilot program. Next year, with $1.2 million from the state, 900 youngsters in 23 schools will have the additional instruction. Yet even that might not meet demand.
The money comes from SB49, which gave a $30 million one-time infusion for optional, extended day-kindergarten, which can be offered in a full school day or summer programs. The state will divvy $7.5 million a year over four years. Program results will be reported annually.
All districts will get a $22,600 base, plus money for students qualifying for free lunch — a common indicator of poverty. Granite is getting the most, with 18.2 percent of the largess, followed by Salt Lake City's $732,000, Jordan's $644,000, Davis' $564,000, Alpine's $470,000 and Ogden's $454,000, the State Office of Education reports.
Box Elder and Salt Lake City school districts, which have offered the programs for years, have reported similar findings.
"It's actually one of the most effective ways to close the achievement gap," said Jason Olsen, spokesman for Salt Lake District, which offers full-day kindergarten at nearly all elementaries. Students scoring in the lowest quartile on tests start out academically behind peers, but by spring, that scoring gap is gone — and stays gone in first-graders the district has tracked, Olsen said.
Fifteen Utah school districts last year offered full-day kindergarten, mostly by stretching federal Title I dollars for low-income schools. They welcome the new state money.
"In the past (seven years) we funded it out of our hide. ... Our class size has been artificially high because we've provided so much to full-day kindergarten," Ogden District elementary education director Reed Spencer said. His district will use the money to maintain, but not expand, its 28 programs next fall.
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