Commentary; Posted: 11/2/05
All day, every day kindergarten deserves a chance
Joe Nathan
Guest Columnist
ìNo surprise at all.î Thatís how Neal Fox, Cam Hedlund, Stan Sjodahl and Connie Hesse responded to a new national study on kindergarten.
It found that all day, every day kindergarten has significant benefits for all kinds of youngsters - regardless of income.
But in calling about 30 suburban and rural Minnesota school districts, I found enormous variations in what is offered.
Fox, principal at Forest Lakeís Columbus Elementary, says the district offers all day, every other day kindergarten, and one section of kindergarten plus, which meets every day and costs parents $2500.
Fox sees ìgreat advantages for all day, every day, including greater consistency, stronger skill development, and more opportunities for enrichment.î
Hedlund says Lakes International Language Academy, the public charter Spanish immersion school which he directs, also offers all day, every other day kindergarten.
He thinks the all day every day approach ìmakes great sense, and with funding from the state, itís something we would want to do.î
Hinckley-Finlayson Principal Stan Sjodahl calls the all day, every day approach ìwonderful ó one of the best things our school board has done.î
A 26 year veteran, heís found that ìstudents have made tremendous progress since the board decided to do this several years ago.î
Judy Henck, principal at Odyssey Charter in Brooklyn Center says that all day, every day kindergarten program that the school offers ìhelps students be better readers, and gives us time to do the kind of projects that 5 year olds love.î
Connie Hesse, Caledonia Elementary principal in southeastern Minnesota, reports that this is the second year they have offered all day, every day kindergarten. Parent support has been ìoverwhelming, and student gains, huge.î Students were much better prepared when they entered first grade, and ìthe kids love it.î
Many metro area suburban districts offer all day, every other day programs. But most educators agree: students are better prepared to read, and to be successful in school, if they go to an all day, every day program.
A new national study agrees. It will be published in February and was discussed on the front page of the non-partisan, well-respected Education Week, October 19.
Researchers used data from a nationally representative sample of about 8,000 students.
The authors are from the University of Michigan, University of Oregon in Eugene, and Chicagoís Erikson Institute. Key findings:
ïStudents in all day, every day kindergarten make average learning gains comparable to about a month of additional schooling.
ïStudents in full day kindergarten are more likely to be low income, rural or urban youngsters, who start off the fall, below average in reading and math.
ïHowever, by the spring, students in full and part day kindergarten score ìabout the sameî on reading and math tests.
ïNevertheless, full day, every day programs helped all youngsters. Wealthy students learned as much as those from low income families.
There are many demands on taxes.
Seems like all day, every day kindergarten, at least as an option, should be a high priority for school boards and state legislators.
Joe Nathan, a former public school teacher, now directs the Center for School Change, Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota.
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