below
below national trends when it comes
to participation in full-day - kindergarten. Studies
a -smart idea so
why isn’t the -state paying for it? KSL investigator Daniella Rivera.. joins us
with new data tonight..
Daniella?
A survey of Utah voters over
the summer found parent’s are
for it, so it’s not an issue
of interest. It’s access.
:27 - :311:23 - 1:272:06 - 2:12
2:36 - 2:413:47 - 3:53 At
the Brower home look what
dad found! New crayons are
pretty exciting NAT - WOAH But
new BROWN crayons Ashlee
EVEN pretty exciting NAT - WOAH But new BROWN crayons Ashlee Brower: I DON
EVEN 3 KNOW WHERE IT BROWN IS LIKE
THE BIG DEAL AT OUR HOUSEWell
favorite.
CAN YOU SAY MAHOGANY.Henry is in preschool and Ashlee and David are trying to figure out
what his days will look like
when he starts kindergarten
David Brower: WE’D PREFER FULL
DAY KINDERGARTEN. BUT BECAUSE
WE CAN’T GET THAT WE’D BE
LOOKING AT HALF DAY
KINDERGARTEN.Like many Utah
families, Full day
kindergarten isn’t an option
for the Browers -- it’s not
funded by the state. David
Brower: IS FRUSTRATING
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU KIND OF
REFLECT ON HOW WE VIEW
OURSELVES AS A STATE, IT’S
VERY FAMILY CENTERED, THERE’S
LOTS OF LARGE FAMILIES .And
e not VERY FAMILY CENTERED, THERE’S LOTS OF LARGE FAMILIES .And now they know they
e not
Thomas is a senior policy analyst with Voices for Utah Children. Anna Thomas: FULL
DAY KINDERGARTEN IS VERY
POPULAR This summer, they
initiated a survey taken by
1,976 Utah voters 68% of them
he 1,976 Utah voters 68% of them said they support
he expansion of optional full-day
kindergarten programs in all public schools throughout
Utah.
kindergarten programs in all public schools throughout support it but 69% said
pay an extra $5 in public schools throughout support it but 69% said they
pay an extra $5 in taxes annually to fund full
day kindergarten. Anna Thomas: THERE IS MUCH BROADER
SUPPORT FOR MAKING SURE EVERY
FAMILY ACTUALLY HAS A CHOICE
ABOUT WHETHER TO PARTICIPATE
IN FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN.
Voices for Utah Children
estimates around 80% of U.S.
kindergarten students take
full day classes Compare that
to Utah -- and they say
participation plumments to
only 30% And numerous
studies show full day
kindergarten leads to
significant learning
advantages for students - and
higher test scores.Danie: WHY
DON’T WE HAVE FULL DAY
KINDERGARTEN FOR ANYONE WHO
WANTS IT HERE? WELL, THAT’S
AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.Utah
Republican Representative
Lowry Snow chairs the House
Education Committee. He said
long been an advocate of
expanding kindergarten but has faced resistance Snow: I THINK IN UTAH, I THINK WE’RE
STILL CONSERVATIVE AND THE
IDEA THAT WE’RE TAKING
CHILDREN AWAY FROM FAMILY AND
FROM THE HOME FOR AN EXTENDED
PERIOD, AND THAT THAT WASN’T
NECESSARYThe new data
challenges that old narrative
about Utah families Jennifer
Millett: OUR FULL DAY IS AT
CAPACITY, AND WE HAVE PARENTS
THAT STILL WANT TO BE IN FULL
DAY .Jennifer Millett has
taught both half and full day
kindergarten classes over the
last 20 years -- and seen the
difference in results first
hand. Millett: WE FIND THAT
THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING
INTO FULL DAY ARE THE LOWER
STUDENTS, BUT WE ARE ABLE TO
CATCH THEM UP COMPARED TO
THEIR HALF DAY STUDENTS AND
EVEN AT TIMES, SUCCEED WHAT
THE OTHER STUDENTS ARE
now the
kindergarten specialist in the granite school district, which offered full-day classes to a
quarter of its kindergarten
population last year, using
grant money and federal funds.
In a letter to the Utah
State Board of Education,
superintendent Dr. Rich Nye
wrote he believes another
2,500 kindergarten students in
his district would benefit
from the same services but
they have had to prioritize
access to the most at-risk
students. Millett: WE DON’T
HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING TO GET
EVEN THE STUDENTS THAT WE
CURRENTLY THINK WOULD WOULD
QUALIFY FOR IT. Danie: THE WAY
THINGS ARE RIGHT NOW, THERE
ARE SOME AT RISK KIDS WHO ARE
FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS?
WHAT
WE WORRY ABOUT. Kristina Pexton: YOU CAN’T RECOGNIZE YOUR LETTERS, YOU’RE NOT GONNA
LEARN TO READ, RIGHT, AND
YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE THAT
FOUNDATION TO SET YOU UP FOR
SUCCESS FOR YOUR WHOLE LIFE.
Kristina Pexton is a mother of
five and works with the Utah
PTA. She wasn’t always a
supporter of full day
kindergarten Pexton: THEY
SHOWED ME THE DATA THAT LIKE
THESE KIDS CAN PERFORM LIKE,
LIKE TWO TIMES TO FOUR TIMES
BETTER ON THESE END OF YEAR
TESTINGS, WHEN THEY’RE IN FULL
DAY VERSUS A HALF DAY, THAT
WAS TOTALLY EYE OPENING TO
joining others in
calling on the state to invest in early intervention. Pexton: LET’S PUT THAT FUNDING
THERE. LET’S PUT IT WHERE IT
NEEDS TO BE TO MAKE THAT GREAT
FOUNDATION FOR THESE KIDS.
The last big legislative push
for more kindergarten funding
failed in 2011. Danie: IT’S
BEEN 10 YEARS -- WHEN DO YOU
THINK WE WOULD SEE ANOTHER
LEGISLATIVE EFFORT TO MAKE
FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN
ACCESSIBLE FOR ANYONE IN UTAH
WHO WANTS IT? Snow: I’VE BEEN
LOOKING AT DOING A EXPANDING
KINDERGARTEN FOR AND MAKING IT
OPTIONAL FOR ALL PARENTS IN
THE STATE Brower home: WHY DO
DINOSAURS LOVE TO RUN?
SPIDERS!For Henry and other
students his age Ashlee
believes the answer is
pretty simple: ashlee
brower: CHILDREN ARE KIND OF
OUR FUTURE. AND I THINK WE
SHOULD ALL HAVE AN INVESTMENT
IN THAT.
Voices for Utah Children
estimates it would cost $60
million in new funding to
cover full-day kindergarten
for all incoming students
but the actual cost could be
lower because they know not
everyone will choose to
participate.
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