News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Local & Bistate

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable as well as posts that are attacking other users. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.
comments powered by Disqus
December 11, 2012

Full-day kindergarten enrollment up 19 percent

State to distribute about $190M for programs — more than double amount spent last year

Maureen Hayden CNHI

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s decision to increase funding for full-day kindergarten has led to an increase in students enrolling in kindergarten programs across the state and more state dollars doled out to local schools.

On Friday, the state will distribute nearly $190 million in full-day kindergarten funding, more than double the $81 million spent last school year, according to numbers released Monday by the Indiana Department of Education.

The money is going to 338 public school corporations and charter schools that collectively saw a 19-percent increase in the number of students enrolling in full-day kindergarten programs: from 66,401 in the 2011-12 school year to 79,110 students this school year.

The increase in enrollment and funding comes from legislation pushed by Gov. Mitch Daniels that put more money into a state grant program that helps qualifying local schools pay for their full-day kindergarten programs.

The legislation boosted the amount to $2,400 per student, almost twice the amount schools got the year before.

It triggered some schools to expand their half-day programs into full-day kindergarten, and allowed other schools to offer a full-day program without having to charge extra tuition to parents.

Terry Spradlin, director for education policy at Indiana University’s Center for Evaluation and Education, called it “good news” for Indiana.

“I think this will be beneficial,” said Spradlin, a strong advocate of early childhood education.

The extra dollars are in addition to money that local schools already receive through the state’s school-funding formula. Combined, it will provide about $5,000 per kindergarten student, Spradlin said.

The legislation that increased dollars through the full-day kindergarten grant program extends only two years, but some lawmakers see it as indicator of growing support for education.

“The increase in funding is critical,” said state Rep. Ed Clere, a New Albany Republican who sits on the House Committee on Education. “But just as critical is the policy decision that the legislature made in identifying full-day kindergarten funding as a priority.

“It was an important first step in the right direction, but it won’t be the last step,” Clere said. “I think there is growing support in the legislature to support early childhood education as one of the most important investments we can make.”

The full-day funding levels for schools was released Monday by the Indiana Department of Education. It’s based on enrollment numbers for this current school year.

Attending kindergarten isn’t mandatory in Indiana, but public schools in the state are required to offer some kind of kindergarten program to eligible students.

Some had opted for half-day programs or charged parents tuition for their children to attend a full-day program. In some communities, like Floyd County where Clere is from, local foundations stepped in to provide the extra dollars to the schools to support a full-day program.

“Access to full-day kindergarten was limited by financial means,” Clere said. “We’re finally moving past that.”

Education experts say full-day kindergarten programs give students, especially those from low-income families, a boost in their later academic success.

The legislation that doubled the dollars for full-day kindergarten guarantees $2,400 in state money for every child enrolled in a full-day kindergarten program. Schools were getting only about $1,200 per kindergarten student before the legislation passed.

The legislature approved the temporary increase in kindergarten dollars for this school year. But in signing the legislation into law, Daniels said it signaled a shift in commitment from the legislature to spend more dollars on education.

“This is never going away, and the finances of the state clearly support it,” Daniels said at the time. “This is not inexpensive, but we think it's the next best investment to make in education.”

Daniels had pushed the idea for more kindergarten funding earlier this year as state revenues were rebounding. This summer, he announced that Indiana ended the fiscal year with a $2 billion surplus.

Earlier this fall, Republican leaders in the Statehouse, who hold a super-majority in both the state House and Senate, said they were committed to spending more state dollars on early childhood education. In January, when the legislature goes back into session, lawmakers will be crafting a two-year budget bill that includes education spending.



Maureen Hayden is the Indiana Statehouse bureau chief for CNHI, the parent company of the Tribune-Star. She can be reached at maureen.hayden@indianamediagroup.com.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local & Bistate
Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
AP Video
Raw: Tornadoes Spotted in Kansas Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash Raw: Heavy Tornado Damage in Shawnee, Okla Obama Exhorts Good Deeds by Morehouse Graduates Winning Powerball Ticket Sold in Florida AP CEO: Records Seizure 'Unconstitutional' Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital One Million Evacuated As Cyclone Hits Bangladesh Today in History for May 19th Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge Raw: Germany Protestors Picket Barbie House Raw: Gun Scare Mars Cannes Film Festival Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools Raw: 6 Die in Russian Ship Fire $1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
NDN Video
Who is $600M Powerball winner in Fla.? Justin Bieber Gets Booed After Winning at the Billboard Awards Singer Miguel Accidentally Lands on Fan At Billboard Music Awards Raw: Tornadoes Spotted in Kansas Twiggy, the Waterskiing Squirrel Sailor Surprises His Mom At Her CU Denver Graduation Ceremony Official: ‘Amazing’ No One Was Killed In CT Train Crash Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country Coffee Stop Leads To Arrest Of YouTube Sensation Wanted For Murder Bearded Dragon Reunited With Owner Marine Reunited with Warzone Companion Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool Beyonce Is Pregnant! SF baseball player overpaid $500,000 RETURNS money -- and team says KEEP IT $1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest Dad returns from Afghanistan, surprises family during Rays' first pitch See Jennifer Lopez's New $10m Hamptons Mansion Woman tricked into taking abortion pill Emma Watson Goes Pantless IRS scandal: Republicans seek to tie Obama to agency's woes
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News