Commonly asked questions
about All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten
- Will All-Day Kindergarten require more building space for some districts?
- Is the perception that All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten is just shifting the costs of day care from the parent to the school district and ultimately the taxpayers?
- Does All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten impose on parental choices? Could All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten be optional for parents who don't want their kindergarteners to be gone all day?
- My district has all-day kindergarten. Is it already paid for by the state?
- How much will it cost the state to fund All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten for all the state's districts?
- Why is it so critical for the state to pay for All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten?
- What percent of the overall K-12 education budget does the $160 million cost for access to All Day, Every Day Kindergarten represent?
- Could All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten be phased in to give school districts time to solve space issues?
- Does All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten require curriculum changes in the elementary grades that follow because kindergartners are better prepared for first grade?
- Will at-risk kids benefit from All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten?
- Is All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten a logical continuation of the growing support for early childhood education?
- Does focus on All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten deplete resources for older children who are in just as much need?
- Does All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten fit into the workforce development argument voiced by supporters of early childhood education?
- If the state expands the support of All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten by putting it in the budget, will other education initiatives suffer?
- Is it possible the state will fund All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten for a year or two and then expect schools to pick up the cost?
- Is there a legislative bill I can support that offers funding for All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten?
- Do other states pay for all-day kindergarten?
- Why is the Minneapolis Foundation involved in the issue of All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten?
1. Will All-Day Kindergarten require more building space for some districts?
Yes, some districts will have space available now, others will need to provide new space, and others will need to do some realigning of their resources to make All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten available for all students.
2. Is the perception that All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten is just shifting the costs of day care from the parent to the school district and ultimately the taxpayers?
Some may see All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten this way, however research says invest early in the knowledge and skills a child needs to succeed. Research says All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten leads to higher academic achievement and reduced achievement gaps among students of different economic and racial/ethnic groups. It decreases costs by reducing the need for additional help in later years and it contributes to increased school readiness. It improves student attendance and supports literacy development while promoting children's social and emotional development.
3. Does All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten impose on parental choices? Could All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten be optional for parents who don't want their kindergarteners to be gone all day?
The voluntary program most recently proposed at the legislature would allow parents who prefer half-day kindergarten to still make that choice for their child. Research shows that all children need and benefit from All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten. Our world is increasingly complex. It demands that we prepare our children as well as we possibly can, giving them a chance to pursue whatever goals they set for themselves. Once a child enters the public education process, it is our job as parents and community members to ensure equal access to public education.
4. My district has all-day kindergarten. Is it already paid for by the state?
No. In fact, just under half of Minnesota public school children attend all-day kindergarten. Minnesota school districts that offer all-day kindergarten must divert funds from other important services to pay for this expense. Many districts can't make this choice and can only offer limited sections of all-day K or must charge families for it. Low-income families often can't afford fee-based all-day K.
5. How much will it cost the state to fund All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten for all the state's districts?
It will cost approximately $160 million annually.
6. Why is it so critical for the state to pay for All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten?
We must ensure equal access for all children who need or want All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten. Today's high standards for academic excellence and our testing accountability system demand that we provide children with the best start possible. Just under half of Minnesota public school children attend All-Day, Every Day kindergarten this year because Minnesota 's kindergarten laws and funding structure create a financial disincentive for school districts to offer it.
7. What percent of the overall K-12 education budget does the $160 million cost for access to All Day, Every Day Kindergarten represent?
It is approximately 2% of the current K-12 budget.
8. Could All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten be phased in to give school districts time to solve space issues?
Yes, legislation could be written that would recognize the need for schools to have time to prepare for All-Day Kindergarten.
9. Does All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten require curriculum changes in the elementary grades that follow because kindergartners are better prepared for first grade?
Studies have shown that to maintain the benefits, curriculum changes should be made because children who experienced All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten would be better prepared for first grade. Research done at the University of Minnesota for the Burnsville school district showed the need for changes in the curriculum for grades 1-3.
10. Will at-risk kids benefit from All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten?
Yes, in fact some legislation that has been suggested by the Minnesota School Superintendents Association would require that at-risk children be offered All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten first in any process of phasing in all-day kindergarten statewide in school districts.
11. Is All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten a logical continuation of the growing support for early childhood education?
Yes. Over the past decade, there has been increased interest in the earliest years of a child's life. Investing in those early years is proving to pay off in both direct and indirect ways: through improved academic achievement and high school graduation rates, as well as lower crime rates and lower special education costs.
12. Does focus on All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten deplete resources for older children who are in just as much need?
Advocacy for All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten is not an effort to pull money away from any other area of K-12 education funding. Equal access to education programs for all children is the goal.
13. Does All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten fit into the workforce development argument voiced by supporters of early childhood education?
Kindergarten is a child's front door to our K-12 educational system. A good start ensures that a child will benefit more from the education that is offered through public education. A well-educated child has the tools to develop into a more productive employee and community member.
14. If the state expands the support of All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten by putting it in the budget, will other education initiatives suffer?
If Minnesota residents value and support education and equal access to education, it is expected that they will voice their choices to their school officials and elected officials and support efforts to fund important education initiatives.
15. Is it possible the state will fund All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten for a year or two and then expect schools to pick up the cost?
Yes. It is important for Minnesota residents to express their support for All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten to school officials and elected officials so that when funding discussions take place, equal access to All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten for all students remains a priority.
16. Is there a legislative bill I can support that offers funding for All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten?
This web site will provide information about any bills introduced in the 2007 session that support All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten.
17. Do other states pay for all-day kindergarten?
Nationally, 2/3 of all kindergarten students are enrolled in all-day kindergarten. Thirty states currently provide a full day's funding for all-day kindergarten. That includes Alabama , Louisiana , Mississippi , Iowa and Wisconsin.
18. Why is the Minneapolis Foundation involved in the issue of All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten?
For many years, The Minneapolis Foundation has invested in strategies to reduce the educational achievement gap - from early childhood through post-secondary education. For example, Destination 2010, a student achievement and scholarship program of The Minneapolis Foundation, supports a cohort of inner-city students scheduled to graduate from high school in 2010 and will aid their entry into higher education. Since 2002, the Foundation has granted over $1.3 million to organizations seeking to strengthen early childhood education options and over $2 million to organizations working to improve the K-12 school system in Minnesota . The Foundation beliAves that quality preschool experiences, followed by All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten as the entry point to a strong K-12 system, are key to reducing the achievement gap in our state, particularly among students of color. In partnership with education advocacy groups, the Foundation is promoting policies to ensure all Minnesota families have access to All-Day, Every Day Kindergarten.
For more information please contact Karen Kelley-Ariwoola at (612) 672-3829.
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