does anyone know....?

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
does anyone know....?
6
Tue, 12-07-2004 - 3:12pm
why so many of the public school are going to full day kindergarten?
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-08-2004
Tue, 12-07-2004 - 4:18pm

I have heard that schools get more funding for full day programs. I've also been told that staffing is easier.

In my humble opinion, I think it's because so many parents work and it's easier for them to arrange before and after school care for full day kids. Plus kids who are in day care are used to being away from home all day so it's not a big adjustment for them.

I sent our kids to the school with the half day program and I'm really glad I did.

Wendy

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2004
Tue, 12-07-2004 - 8:36pm
I was a full time teacher until I became a stay at home mom and my husband is still in the education feild. It is because the requirements are so much higher. Children need to leave kindergarten able to read simple books, have at least 100 words they know by sight and have all of the basics of math down so they can take right off in 1st grade. Also, with more parents working kids are coming into kindergarten with less skills, ie being able to hold a book correctly, color, cut with scissors and hopefully be able to follow rules and get along with other kids. The No child left behind act penelizes schools that have consistantly low test scores so schools especially elementary schools are having to cut back on what is considered "fluff" art, recess time, free choice time and in some cases even music are being cut in favor of more instruction time. It is a very frustrating situation. Perhaps the private schools can still go 1/2 day because parents are picking up the slack at home.
Julie
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2004
Tue, 12-07-2004 - 11:16pm

I believe a lot of it has to due with the fact that their are

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-07-2004
Wed, 12-08-2004 - 12:01am
Your post and the responses were a heads up for me. We have a brand new public elementary school in our neighborhood and we are (?) planning to send our daughter there in the fall. She currently attends public preschool in our former neighborhood (an A+ school district) nearby. I have been pretty much assuming that kindergarten is half day ... it is half day in our old district according to the moms at our preschool. But I now realize that I should not presume and that I should investigate ... and if not I need to research, as you intend to do, so that the choice will be more conscious and informed. I didn't really see this issue coming. Thanks everyone!
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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 12-08-2004 - 8:44am

I think they have full day kindergarden due to the rise in requirements. I dont think they need to raise the requirements--I can just imagine all the stressed out kids by the time they are even in high school....

Our K is half day, the county next to us were making parents pay $20 for FUll DAy KINDERGarden--no choice either. then the next year they went back to half day(due to lack of funding)...they are still trying to get it back...A lot of them parents liked it due to child care issues--MOST of the next year students parents chose private all day K classes instead of half day at public.

When we lived in Northern IN, our elementary had both FUll and half day K.. When they did their testing in the spring for K--they chose the children with the top 50% score to go to half day, then the other went to Full day...This makes more since to me... I don't care for all day just because its too MUCH for them--Maybe if they would have NAP/REst time it would be better.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2004
Wed, 12-08-2004 - 10:02am
I know the schools in FL and GA are full time in Kindergarten. I think in FL, it just started, and I am not sure how long it has gone on in GA.
I am not sure the reasons for them having the kids go a full day at such a young age.
That is why I like the choice I have made on homeschooling. I only have to teach him a total of 4.5 hours a day versus the 6.5 he would do at school.
I think the reasons on a full or half day will depend on the state and its reasons.





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