Full Day Kindergarten
The findings of the recently completed feasibility study reveal that Full Day Kindergarten (FDK) is perceived by Board members, staff and friends of the Foundation as the highest rated priority. Although lobbying efforts continue for the legislature to fund FDK on a state-wide basis, projections show that the district is not likely to see any funds in 2007 and 2008 is doubtful. Therefore, the main objective of the Foundation’s efforts will be to raise funds that will meet the basic needs goal of $800,000 to cover the costs of funding FDK for upcoming school years.
Research clearly demonstrates a strong correlation between early childhood educational experiences and academic success. Of course, these experiences traditionally have come from parents or other care-givers. However, not all of our children have had the same level of care and opportunity and therefore educators are seeing larger gaps in the preparedness of students for school.
One strategy for filling these gaps has been to provide full-day rather than half-day kindergarten. For example, a longitudinal study comparing academic performance of students participating in half-day and full-day kindergarten in Indiana and Wisconsin found that 40-50% more academic instruction occurred in full-day programs. Further, full-day kindergarten was found to be an effective way of reducing achievement gaps. In fact, in one Indiana school district, by 5th grade full-day kindergarten students were outperforming half-day students in 23 areas of comparison.
The New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corporation embraces the belief that early intervention is crucial for student success. Our corporation provides limited educational programs such as Reading Recovery, but regrettably, these programs only serve a small percentage of our students. Pre-school programming is also provided, but only on a restricted basis and full-day kindergarten is available for students only if they attend a Title I school. In such cases federal funds offset this expense. In some of our schools, parents are asked to cover the costs for half-day and full-day instruction because the State of Indiana currently grants only limited funding for some full-day programs.. Floyd County joins the chorus of educators who believe that full-day kindergarten generates academic success for our students.