full-day kindergarten nationwide

8/17/2019 Full-Day Kindergarten Nationwide

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Shannon Beam

Professor Kramer

CAS 138T

April 6th, 2016

Full- a! "s The #nl! $a!

"f !ou ha%e e%er ta&en a 'lan(e into a &in)er'arten (lassroom, !ou ten) to fin) tin!

ram*un(tious (hil)ren, pra(ti(in' +ritin' their letters an) num*ers As the )a! 'oes on, the!

paint in art (lass an) sha&e tam*ourines in musi( (lass These a(ti%ities that the !oun'sters

are en'a'in' in )urin' a t!pi(al &in)er'arten )a! are enhan(in' *oth their (o'niti%e a*ilities an)

)e%elopin' their motor s&ills, +ithout them e%en &no+in' o+e%er, in the .nite) States there is

not a fe)eral la+ that man)ates that (hil)ren must 'o to &in)er'arten This )e(ision is in the

han)s of the in)i%i)ual states /ultiple stu)ies ha%e (on(lu)e) that those (hil)ren that atten)

full )a! &in)er'arten pro'rams are more a)%an(e) *oth a(a)emi(all! an) so(iall! than those

(hil)ren that are enrolle) in half )a! pro'rams Full )a! &in)er'arten ser%es as a (atal!st for a

(hil) s (o'niti%e )e%elopment, +hi(h (onse uentl! in(reases the (hil) s a*ilit! to attain

a(a)emi( su((ess in the future, puttin' these stu)ents further ahea) than those that onl! sta!

for a half )a! Therefore, the fe)eral 'o%ernment shoul) ena(t le'islation that man)ates full )a!

&in)er'arten for e%er! (hil) fi%e !ears of a'e throu'hout the .nite) States A))itionall!, full )a!

&in)er'arten pro%i)e) for e%er! (hil)ren in our nation +ill 'i%e all Ameri(a s (hil)ren the

opportunit! to 'ain a similar e)u(ational foun)ation an) (an onl! help the future (hil)ren of

Ameri(a to (ompete 'lo*all! After all, full )a! &in)er'arten is alrea)! man)ator! in some

s(hool )istri(ts in our nation, +h! not ma&e it for all )istri(ts

As pre%iousl! mentione), there is no fe)eral la+ in our nation that )e(lares that (hil)ren

must 'o to &in)er'arten a(h in)i%i)ual state is responsi*le for )eterminin' if their (hil)ren


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shoul) atten) &in)er'arten or not an) +hether the! shoul) sta! for a partial )a! or for the full

)a! "n the .nite) States, 4thirt!-four states re uire s(hool )istri(ts to offer half )a! &in)er'arten

an) 11 states an) the istri(t of Colum*ia re uire s(hool )istri(ts to offer full )a! &in)er'arten

Si5 states Alas&a, ")aho, /i(hi'an, 7e+ erse!, Penns!l%ania an) 7e+ 9or& )on:t re uire

s(hool )istri(ts to offer &in)er'arten at all;, a((or)in' to /ar! The la(& of all-)a! &in)er'arten

pro'rams in e%er! state (oul) *e )ue to the fa(t that for a +hile &in)er'arten +as seen as 4a

pla(e +here (hil)ren learne) to (olor, share an) pla!; =$riter> "n re(ent !ears the a(a)emi(

ri'or in &in)er'arten (lassrooms has nota*l! in(rease) ?esear(hers aphna Basso& an)

Anna ?orem from the .ni%ersit! of @ir'inia 1 )is(o%ere) that 4from 1 8 to 2006, &in)er'arten

tea(hers reporte) )e%otin' 2D per(ent more time to tea(hin' earl! litera(!, in(reasin' it to E

hours per +ee&, the resear(hers foun); =Klein> "n a))ition, the pair foun) that 4in 1 8, a little

less than a thir) of tea(hers sai) that &in)er'artners shoul) lea%e the 'ra)e &no+in' ho+ to

rea) B! 2006, that per(enta'e ha) risen to 6D per(ent; =Klein> %en thou'h ri'our has

in(rease) in )iffi(ult!, there is still time for pla!ful a(ti%ities in &in)er'arten (lassrooms These

a(ti%ities that (hil)ren are parti(ipatin' in, su(h as usin' s(issors to ma&e a (raft or sin'in' the

alpha*et alou) not onl! help +ith their motor s&ills, *ut in a))ition ai) memor! +hi(h (ontri*utes

to the min) (o'niti%el! %en somethin' as simple as pla!in' the tam*ourine, or )rums in musi(

(lass (an help to impro%e neural pro(essin', a stu)! *! 7orth+estern .ni%ersit! (on(lu)e)

=lo(&er> As the ri'or has in(rease) si'nifi(antl!, so has the num*er of (hil)ren throu'hout the

.nite) States that atten) &in)er'arten

The num*er of (hil)ren that atten) &in)er'arten throu'hout our nation is at an all-time

hi'h "n 201D, the .nite) States epartment of )u(ation (laime) that four million (hil)ren

entere) &in)er'arten = A /atter 1> As the num*er of &in)er'arten stu)ents has risen, there has

also *een a rise in &in)er'arten stu)ents that atten) s(hool for the entiret! of the )a!


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A((or)in' to Chil) Tren)s, a non-profit or'ani ation *ase) out of $ashin'ton C , in 1 E0

a*out 10G of (hil)ren +ent to full-)a! pro'rams, ho+e%er, in 2012 more than E6G per(ent of

(hil)ren +ere in full-)a! pro'rams =Klein> Thou'h this in(rease in &in)er'arten atten)an(e as

+ell as full-)a! pro'rams +oul) *e seen a maHor su((ess to man!, it:s still trou*lin' that not all

of the states in our nation re uire their (hil)ren to start s(hoolin' at su(h a !oun' a'e The

e%en more pu lin' part is the fa(t that there are %arious stu)ies )one *! top institutions su(h

as uni%ersities, the )u(ation epartment an) s(holars that sho+ not onl! )oes &in)er'arten

(harter a(a)emi( 'ro+th, *ut those stu)ents +ho are enrolle) in full )a! &in)er'arten are far

more a)%an(e) than those in half )a! 9et, onl! 11 states re uire their s(hool )istri(ts to offer

full )a!-pro'rams =Klein> $h! not all fift!

@arious s(hool )istri(ts in our nation man)ate that the (hil)ren +ho are eli'i*le to atten)

&in)er'arten 'o for the entiret! of the s(hool )a! "n these )istri(ts, parents are not 'i%en the

option of +hether the! prefer their (hil) to *e enrolle) in half )a! or full )a! &in)er'arten The

onl! option is full )a! &in)er'arten pro'rams The a*ilit! of the the fe)eral 'o%ernment to

enfor(e an) implement full-)a! Kin)er'arten pro'rams in e%er! state is in)isputa*le le%en

states re uire their s(hool )istri(ts to offer full )a! &in)er'arten =Klein> These man)ator! full

)a! pro'rams ha%e *een seen in maHor Ameri(an (ities su(h as Buffalo, 7e+ 9or& an) all the

+a! to the rural State Colle'e, Penns!l%ania an) ast Am+ell, 7e+ erse! S(hool istri(ts

=State> The S(hool istri(t of Buffalo re(entl! enfor(e) this poli(! for the 201I-201D a(a)emi(

s(hool !ear, +hi(h opene) up the )oors for more than 3I,000 ne+ &in)er'arteners an) allo+e)

for all (hil)ren in Buffalo to start on the same e)u(ational foun)ation =Per(ious> Keep in min)

that these three s(hool )istri(ts are not the onl! )istri(ts that ma&e full )a! &in)er'arten the onl!

option, the! Hust happen to *e a fe+ e5amples The pre(e)ent set *! these s(hool )istri(ts

pre%iousl! mentione) must *e follo+e) *! all )istri(ts a(ross Ameri(a, in or)er for all (hil)ren to

)e%elop *oth stron' in)epen)en(e an) a(a)emi(s


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Full )a! &in)er'arten is a (ru(ial transition !ear for (hil)ren that helps +ith (o'niti%e

)e%elopment, in)epen)en(e an) lon' term a(a)emi( su((ess To *e'in, +e must (onsi)er that

those stu)ents +ho are in full )a! &in)er'arten (lasses are in s(hool for appro5imatel! 32 hours

per +ee&, +hile those +ho atten) for a half )a! are there for a*out 16 hours )urin' the +ee& as

reporte) *! These e5tra hours, e5plain

the )ata (on)u(te) in the stu)ies *! ill $alston = )u(ation Statisti(s Ser%i(es "nstitute

Ameri(an "nstitutes for ?esear(h> an) err! $est =7ational Center for )u(ation Statisti(s

"nstitute of )u(ation S(ien(es . S epartment of )u(ation> +hi(h state that, full )a!

pro'rams spen) mu(h more time fo(usin' on math an) rea)in', than half )a! =Pit(h> For

instan(e the pair (on(lu)e) that, ei'ht! per(ent of pro'rams that are for the entiret! of the

s(hool )a! spen) a*out thirt! minutes a )a! )e%ote) to math, +hile onl! half of partial )a!

pro'rams spen) this same amount of time =Pit(h> $hen it (omes to rea)in', si5t! per(ent of

full )a! &in)er'arten (lasses e5(ee) more than si5t! minutes on rea)in' e%er! )a!, as

(ompare) to onl! 3EG of half )a! (lasses =Pit(h> $hen full )a! stu)ents are not spen)in' time

+or&in' on math pro*lems or rea)in' *oo&s, the! are en'a'e) in self-sele(te) a(ti%ities $ith

the )uration of the s(hool )a! to fill, $alston an) $est foun) that those stu)ents +ho +ere

enrolle) in full )a! pro'rams spent DE minutes on self-sele(te) pro'rams, +hile the &i)s that

+ere there in partial )a! spent 32 minutes =Pit(h> These a(ti%ities help to promote

in)epen)en(e, +hi(h is an essential trait nee)e) in not onl! in the (lassroom, *ut also in life

ue to full )a! pro'rams, (hil)ren are not onl! a full uarter ahea) of their peers, *ut are

also a*le to ma&e )e%elopments a(a)emi(all! that help them to e5(el in the (lassroom in later

!ears A lon'itu)inal stu)! (on)u(te) *! the %ans%ille-@an)er*ur'h of "n)iana S(hool

Corporation in 1 88 o*ser%e) (hil)ren that atten)e) full )a! pro'rams from &in)er'arten all the

+a! up to ei'hth 'ra)e Throu'h their stu)ies the! )is(o%ere) 4stu)ents enrolle) in full )a!


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*ehin) a(a)emi(all! "n the 2012 'lo*al P"SA test, ta&en *! (hil)ren from si5t!-four )ifferent

(ountries, the .nite) States ran&e) 3Dth out of 6I (ountries in math = esil%er> $hen it (ame to

the s(ien(e se(tion of the test, our nation ran&e) 2Eth = esil%er> The (onse uen(es that

a((ompan! the failure to man)ate full-)a! &in)er'arten nationall! e5(ee)s the (ostliness of this

a(tion The a(a)emi( impro%ement in Ameri(a s !outh Hustifies the finan(ial in%estment re uire)

Some states an) s(hool )istri(ts ha%e ma)e the in%estment, *ut the %ast maHorit! of the . S has

!et to follo+ o+ (an the .nite) States e5pe(t to (ompete a''ressi%el! +hen some states in

our nation )o not re uire their (hil)ren to enroll in an elementar! 'ra)e that is (ru(ial for

(o'niti%e )e%elopment

Kin)er'arten is a pla(e for learnin', )e%elopin' an) 'ro+in' "t is a pla(e +here

a(a)emi( ri'or has risen o%er time an) the num*er of Ameri(an (hil)ren enrolle) in this

elementar! 'ra)e has 'ro+n 9et, there is no fe)eral la+ that or)ers e%er! (hil) to 'o to

&in)er'arten B! the !ear 2016, one +oul) thin& that all states +oul) re uire not Hust

&in)er'arten, *ut full )a! &in)er'arten %er! stu)! (omplete) on full )a! &in)er'arten

pro'rams has lin&e) hi'her a(a)emi( an) so(ial su((ess to those (hil)ren that sta! the entire

)uration of the s(hool )a! as (ompare) to those +ho onl! sta! a partial )a! Ameri(a man!

in%estments /an)ator! full )a! &in)er'arten pro'rams in e%er! state a(ross our nation is an

in%estment that +ill *e pi%otal for the future (hil)ren of our (ountr! as the! (ompete in a 'lo*al

e(onom! After all, if it:s )one in the Buffalo, State Colle'e an) ast Am+ell S(hool istri(ts,

+h! (an t it *e repli(ate) in all


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$or&s Cite)

A /atter of uit! Pres(hool in Ameri(a 7 p .nite) State epartment of )u(ation, n )

/atter #f ualit! Pres(hool in Ameri(a Apr 201D $e* D Apr 2016

LA%era'e 7um*er of ours in the S(hool a! an) A%era'e 7um*er of a!s in the S(hool

9ear for Pu*li( S(hools, *! State 200EM08 L A%era'e 7um*er of ours in the S(hool

a! an) A%era'e 7um*er of a!s in the S(hool 9ear for Pu*li( S(hools, *! State

200EM08 "nstitute of )u(ation S(ien(es, n ) $e* 0D Apr 2016

Chan)ler, /i(hael Alison LThe alf-)a! Kin)er'arten Time Crun(h L $ashin'ton Post The

$ashin'ton Post, 2I /ar 201I $e* 0D Apr 2016

Cooper, arris, Ashle! Batts Allen, ri&a A Patall, an) Am! < ent L?e%ie+ of )u(ational


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?esear(h L ?e%ie+ of )u(ational ?esear(h Sa'e ournals, /ar 2010 $e* 0D Apr

2016

esil%er, re+ L. S Stu)ents "mpro%in' M Slo+l! M in /ath an) S(ien(e, *ut Still n pa' 7 A )u(ation Poli(! N Pra(ti(e epartment Center for Jreat

Pu*li( S(hools, 201D $e* D April 2016

Klein, ?e*e((a L ust 1D States ?e uire Stu)ents To Atten) Kin)er'arten LThe uffin'ton

Post The uffin'ton Post (om, n ) $e* 0D Apr 2016

Pit(h, n pa'

Clar& Count! S(hool istri(t $e* D Apr 2016


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Jannett, 13 an 201I $e* 0D Apr 2016

full-day kindergarten nationwide

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